Loyalist group condemns Co Down attacks as 'work of competing drug cartels'
The Loyalist Communities Council has blasted a series of attacks on properties in Co Down as the "work of competing drug cartels".
Properties in the Ards and North Down area have been targeted in recent days, including a pipe bomb and several petrol bombs attacks.
There have also been attempted hijackings and graffiti daubed on properties.
In the latest incident, a petrol bomb was thrown at a house in Donaghadee on Wednesday night.
UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt has expressed his concern, and said that a three-year-old girl was in a house that was attacked on Tuesday night, while the property of an elderly woman was also targeted in a case of mistaken identity.
Police said the attacks were linked to an ongoing feud between two rival drug gangs operating under the banner of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) in the North Down and Ards areas.
In a statement on Thursday, the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) condemned "the illegal peddling of drugs in our communities" and said it "rejects the use of loyalist 'flags of convenience' as a cover for criminal activity".
"The LCC considers the recent feud in North Down and Strangford to be the work of competing drug cartels," they said.
"They are not loyalists. We urge everyone to reject their activity and in particular we ask parents to ensure their children are not being used to convey illegal substances."
The statement continued: "We look to the PSNI to do their job and remove this type of open criminality from our communities."
In relation to the attack in Donaghadee, a PSNI spokesperson said: "Shortly before 9.50pm on Wednesday March 29, officers received a report that a house in the Beechfield Drive area had been petrol bombed.
"The fire was extinguished and thankfully there was no-one in the property at the time.
"Enquiries are continuing and at this stage it is believed that this incident is linked to an ongoing feud between two rival drug gangs in the Ards and North Down area.
"We are following a number of lines of enquiry.
"I am appealing to anyone who was in the area (on Wednesday) evening and saw anything suspicious, or anyone who may have any information which may assist us with our enquiries, to call 101, quoting reference number 2055 of March 29 2023."
Police have increased their presence in the Bangor and Newtownards area in response to the recent UDA-linked attacks.
Two people have appeared in court on charges linked to earlier incidents.
North Down DUP MLA Stephen Dunne condemned the violence.
"There is absolutely no place for this type of activity on our streets," he said.
"This violence and destruction, which is endangering lives is totally unrepresentative of our local community and the area which we are proud to call home.
"Violence and criminality in whatever form it takes is and always has been wrong and must be unequivocally condemned.
"I would appeal for calm and urge people to end this violence and criminal behaviour immediately. Those responsible must be brought to justice.
"The PSNI are appealing for information and I would encourage anyone to contact the PSNI to assist with their ongoing enquiries."