Handgun and €60,000 worth of drugs seized in Cork

Man in his late 20s is arrested following stop and search in Fota on Saturday night

A man in his late 20s was arrested following the seizure of a firearm and €60,000 worth of drugs in east Co Cork. File photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times

A man in his late 20s was arrested following the seizure of a firearm and €60,000 worth of drugs in east Co Cork on Saturday night.

The man, who is from the Ballymun area in Dublin, was arrested at Fota when gardaí from the Cork City Divisional Drugs Unit stopped and searched a car on the way to Cobh at about 8.30pm on Saturday.

During the operation, gardaí recovered a handgun and about 1kg of powder, which they believe to be ecstasy, or MDMA, with a street value of some €60,000.

The powder has been sent to the State laboratory for analysis.

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Gardaí have also sent the handgun for a ballistics examination at the Garda Technical Bureau to see if it has been used in any shootings or other crimes.

The seizure was part of a planned Garda operation and gardaí believe the man had travelled from Dublin with drugs that were destined for the Cork market.

Gardaí in Cork were continuing to question the man on Sunday.

The man is being detained at Bridewell Garda station under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, which allows gardaí to detain suspects for 48 hours.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times