Five people have been arrested – one in Portlaoise – following a drugs seizure by the Gardai earlier today.
Four men and one woman have been detained, following the seizure of €230,000 worth of cocaine, ecstacy, MDMA and amphetamine were uncovered by Gardai at locations in Portlaoise, Naas and Cork under Operation Minstrel.
Under Operation Minstrel, an intelligence led operation targeting drug trafficking activities by organised criminals, Gardaí attached to the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, assisted by Anglesea Street Divisional Drugs Unit, Cork and uniformed Gardaí from Naas and Portlaoise, have seized cannabis herb with an estimated value of €100,000, cocaine, ecstasy and MDMA with a combined total of €85,000 and amphetamine valued at €45,000, pending analysis.
Gardaí stopped and searched a car on the M8 motorway close to Portlaoise earlier today where they discovered and seized 5kgs of cannabis herb, with an estimated value of €100,000.
A 35-year-old man was arrested at scene. He was detained at Portlaoise Garda Station under Section 2 Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 and charged in connection with the investigation.
He is due to appear before Carlow District Court tomorrow morning, Wednesday, March 1, at 10.30am. He remains in Garda custody.
Follow up searches were carried out in counties Kildare and Cork. A planned search of a premises was carried out in Caragh, Naas. 3kgs of amphetamine and an amount of cash was seized.
Two men, aged 51 and 29, were arrested and are currently detained under Section 2 Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at Naas Garda Station.
Gardaí searched a house and a van in Glounthaune Village, Cork and recovered cocaine (620g) 1,500 ecstasy tablets and MDMA (500g) with a combined total of €85,000. A man (32) and a woman (29) were arrested at scene. They were both detained at Mayfield Garda Station under Section 2 Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.
The woman was released from Garda custody without charge. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The man was charged in connection with the investigation and is due to appear before Cork District Court tomorrow morning, Wednesday, March 1, at 10.30am. He remains in Garda custody.
