The North's largest haul of cannabis, which was uncovered yesterday by police, may have been destined for the Republic.
Up to four tonnes of the drug were found in an industrial warehouse in Newtownards, Co Down, following a covert operation involving the PSNI and Revenue and Customs officers.
The street value of the haul will not be established until the amount is weighed accurately. However, sources confidently predict the drugs to be worth more than £10 million (€14.8 million).
Two suspects have been taken in for questioning, and it is not thought there was any paramilitary involvement.
The head of the PSNI's crime operations branch said the successful search was due to high level co-operation by a range of agencies and coincides with a cross-Border seminar on organised crime in Co Derry involving the Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau.
Asst Chief Const Peter Sheridan congratulated his officers and those working for the Revenue and Customs.
"This is proof of our determination to tackle the scourge of illegal drugs," he said.
"At a strategic level, law enforcement agencies on both sides of the Border have just taken part in a conference on organised crime in Limavady. At an operational level, agencies have worked together to protect the public and take drugs out of circulation. Such a co-ordinated approach is paying dividends which I am sure is welcomed by everyone in our community," he added.
The discovery was also welcomed by DUP MP Iris Robinson.
"I am very grateful to the PSNI officers and members of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs who successfully seized several million pounds worth of illegal drugs within my constituency," she said.
"Although it is still early days in the operation, it is very evident that this drugs haul has been very significant indeed. I am led to believe that several tonnes of cannabis were discovered in the Newtownards area with a street value of many millions of pounds."
She said police and Customs officers had skilfully and professionally managed to prevent the massive consignment from being distributed.
"I would encourage anyone with any information at all in relation to these drugs to immediately contact the PSNI," she said.
"This covert operation has obviously been ongoing for some time by police and customs officers and I hope that it will be followed up by successful criminal charges and convictions for those responsible for smuggling, hiding and potentially distributing this material."