80 held after Dublin drugs raids

Gardaí in Dublin have arrested 80 people after a series of raids were carried out on premises throughout the capital in the past two days.

Seventy-two men and eight women are being held on suspicion of being involved in the sale and supply of heroin and cocaine.

Some drugs were also recovered in the searches.

The arrests follow a five-month Garda operation aimed at breaking up two major drug distribution networks operating in the city centre, targeting significant dealers in local communities.

More than 100 premises were searched as part of the operation in the past 48 hours, with officers from the Garda National Drugs Unit, Pearse Street, Kilmainham and Store Street Garda Stations and district drug units throughout the Dublin Metropolitan Region taking part.

A total of 120 charges have been laid against the 80 suspects, some of whom have already appeared before the courts.

Detective Superintendent Michael O'Sullivan, of the Garda National Drugs Unit, said while most of the arrests had taken place within Dublin, some had been made in outlying counties such as Carlow and Kildare. Further arrests were expected, he said.

"It's not a drop in the ocean. The people targeted are an integral part of the drugs supply network," he said. "They were targeted as part of the Garda strategy to reduce demand and supply of drugs in the city and the country as a whole."

Garda Commissioner Mr Fachtna Murphy said the force was committed to tackling the supply of drugs.

"The Garda National Drugs Unit working with local Garda drug units will ensure a co-ordinated and effective approach to protecting our communities, individuals and their families from the harm, pain and destruction caused by illicit drug use. We will continue to work with other agencies and communities in tackling the drug problem in this country,” he said.

Sinn Féin's justice spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh welcomed the move, saying it was the type of solid, intelligence based police work needed to tackle drugs and serious crime, rather than the measures proposed int he new Criminal Justice Bill published this week.

The latest arrests came as five people were held over a separate seizure of cocaine in Balbriggan, Co Dublin yesterday. The €1.5 million haul was recovered following the search of a vehicle in the Balrothery area of Balbriggan yesterday afternoon. Two men were arrested at the scene, with two further arrests made after a follow-up search of a house in Balrothery revealed drug paraphernalia. A fifth person was arrested late last night.