Cannabis factory raids net €2m drugs
Two Asian men were arrested by gardaí in Tralee during a seizure of cannabis plants estimated to be worth more than €1m.
Around 1,800 plants were found in an industrial unit in Clash Industrial Estate.
One of the men tried to escape from the building by jumping from the roof, but sustained injuries in doing so and was removed to Kerry General Hospital.
The other man was taken to Tralee Garda station for questioning.
The search was part of Operation Nitrogen which also involved seizures in Cavan and Roscommon. A total of €2.1m worth of drugs was found in the three searches.
Gardaí from the Kerry Divisional Drugs Unit searched the Clash premises under warrant at 8am and found the cannabis plants at various stages of growth.
The scene was preserved and further examinations were carried out as part of a continuing drugs investigation.
Supt Jim O’Connor, Tralee, described the seizure as “highly significant” and said the cannabis growing may have been going on for some time in the unit.
“It was a very professional set-up and the unit had been divided into four compartments and essentially converted in a grow house.”
Supt O’Connor said there was a high level of co-operation from the public.
The latest development is part of a large number of drug seizures in the Kerry area in recent years.
A house at Falty in Oldtown, Athlone, Co Roscommon, was also searched as part of Operation Nitrogen. Gardaí said a Chinese man in his 20s was arrested at the property, which had been converted for use as a cannabis growing facility.
The total value of the drugs seized at this location, subject to analysis, was €240,000.
At the same time a house and sheds at Carrigaloon, Virginia, Co Cavan, was also raised and a large cannabis cultivation operation was discovered inside.
A Garda spokesman said 700 cannabis plants, worth about €560,000, were recovered and one Chinese male in his 50s was arrested.
There was three suspects arrested and are currently being detained under section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 in Tralee, Roscommon and Bailieboro Garda stations respectively.
