Two held as part of major international crime swoop

Two men have been arrested as part of a major international operation targeting a Dutch-based criminal gang with Irish connections.

Some €2.5m in cash and a further €2.5m worth of herbal cannabis have been seized over the past year during a series of across Europe and Ireland.

The seizures were part of Operation Majesty, which is an international investigation being led by the Garda National Drugs Unit (GNDU) into the trafficking of controlled substances into Ireland.

As well as the drugs and cash, several firearms, ammunition, and a number of grenades have been seized.

During the course of  a series of searches in Dublin and Meath today,  a man in his 30s and another in his 40s were arrested. Both were being detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at Blanchardstown Garda Station.

As part of Operation Majesty, gardai said they have been working closely with Dutch, German and UK authorities in relation to the activities of one particular Dutch-based organised crime gang with “strong Irish connections”.

It is believed this particular gang has been responsible for the exportation of cannabis from The Netherlands into Ireland and the UK via the postal system, and has been subject to investigation by the Organised Crime Squad in Rotterdam.

Seperately, a man in his 20s was arrested after two sawn off shotguns, a pistol, a quantity of ammunition and cannabis herb worth an estimated on €10,000 were seized during a search of an apartment at the Oaks, Killnacourt, Portarlington, Co Laois this afternoon.