Three people have been arrested by gardaí in Athlone following an investigation into allegations of drug-related intimidation.Gardaí in Co Westmeath arrested a woman in her 60s, a man in his 20s and a male teenager on Tuesday.They were detained at a Garda station in the Meath-Westmeath division and have since been charged.They are expected to appear before Longford District Court.Drug-related intimidation is on the rise in Ireland, a recent report by the National Drug Related Intimidation and Violence Engagement project found. In 2025, gardaí dealt with about 600 such cases.Gardaí have previously said such intimidation has become increasingly common, with victims often being forced to store drugs, receiving threats against their families or experiencing sexual exploitation.[ ‘An everybody issue’: How drug-related intimidation affects all areas, urban and ruralOpens in new window ]Gardaí have also pointed to a rise in the number of people arrested and charged for the crime in recent years.