Ulster Unionist Policing Board member Ross Hussey MLA has condemned the person or persons who contacted the Ulster Unionists party in Londonderry to issue a threat to those they described as drug dealers. In a note received by the Party, a group describing itself as 'People Against Drugs' issued a threat to unnamed individuals in the New Buildings area of the Maiden City.
Mr Hussey said:
“'We have a police service in Northern Ireland and if anyone has any information in relation to drug dealing in New Buildings or anywhere else in Londonderry, it is the Police who should be notified.
They can then investigate and if a prima facie case is established, the Police will ensure the culprits are brought before a court and dealt with there. Nobody else can legally deal with these individuals and threats and any follow up actions will certainly lead to a severe sentence against those who would attempt to enforce a threat of this nature.
Indeed, as has all too often been the case in the past, criminal gangs issue such threats in a bid to gain some credibility with local communities and divert attention from their own activities.
Mr Ronnie McKeegan, the Chair of the Foyle Constituency Association who received the note addressed to the Ulster Unionist Party, said
'I support my colleague Ross Hussey and his comments regarding the primacy of the Police in relation to detecting and solving crime. No citizen has the right to take the law into their own hands and I totally support Mr Hussey's call for anyone with information on drug dealing should pass that on to the PSNI immediately.”