Drugs worth €2.5m seized

DRUGS WORTH almost €2.5 million have been seized by gardaí in three separate incidents over the weekend, in Dublin, Co Wicklow and in Limerick.

In Wicklow, gardaí seized drugs with an estimated street value of €2 million on Saturday night.

The seizure, of cocaine and heroin, was made by gardaí from the Baltinglass district assisted by members of the Garda National Drug Unit.

The operation was conducted on an open area on the outskirts of Russelstown, Blessington. Officers also seized a handgun and a large quantity of ammunition.

A 24-year-old man was arrested and detained at Naas Garda station under section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act, 1996. He can be held for up to seven days.

On Saturday cannabis plants and cocaine were seized at a house in Clonee.

A 38-year-old man was arrested and taken to Blanchardstown Garda Station. He was charged and released on bail to appear before Blanchardstown District Court on December 16th.

In Limerick, gardaí from the Divisional Drug Unit in Limerick seized cannabis resin and heroin with an estimated value of €400,000 on Friday evening.

This followed searches conducted as a result of a vehicle being stopped. Houses were searched and three people were arrested.

Two people – one man in his mid-30s and a woman aged 22 – were detained under section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act 1996. The third person, a man, was held under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

All three were released on Saturday afternoon and a file will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Wicklow Fine Gael TD Billy Timmins said communities should offer gardaí “real support” because they are “too often left on their own to wage the war against drugs”.

He said even “casual end-users of such drugs” were causing “misery for families all over the country”.