Gardaí hail Junior Cert exams night undercover operation
Eleven teens were arrested and brought to Killarney garda station where their parents were ordered to come and collect them.
Premises, outside of town, where they managed to buy alcohol are now being pursued.
Large amounts of drink were confiscated “and there were several cans for each one,” Sgt Dermot O’Connell said.
The youths, aged 15 and 16, had been expecting uniformed gardaí. However, gardaí in plain clothes deliberately went to areas of the town where there is a problem on results nights.
“Junior Cert nights and Leaving Cert nights can be extremely busy and problematic. We are inundated with calls from residents about large congregations of youths drinking, ” Sgt O’Connell said.
Those arrested were not from the town, but were earlier dropped in from outlying areas and villages by their unsuspecting parents.
As a result of the undercover operation, there were no assaults, no criminal damage and no complaints from residents. Gardaí were also monitoring alcohol outlets and none in Killarney sold alcohol to the young revellers. The youths in question will now be supervised and if they offend again they will be considered for a programme under the Garda Junior Liaison Scheme.
The successful operation will be repeated, the gardaí have said, warning those caught this time to take their opportunity and not offend again.
