Gardaí launch major drive to stamp out cannabis growers
More operations are expected in the coming weeks as gardaí crackdown on what they believe is an increasing cottage industry in the area.
The latest seizure happened at a house in Ballinagree last Thursday.
Following a surveillance operation, uniformed gardaí from Macroom and detectives from the West Cork Drugs Squad, based in Bandon, swooped on the house and discovered 40 mature plants growing in converted bedrooms.
Superintendent Vincent Duggan said sophisticated growing equipment was also seized in the operation.
“That included fluorescent lighting and light timing switches,” Supt Duggan said.
Nobody was arrested at the scene, but gardaí carried out a follow-up operation in the Kilnamartyra area where they arrested a man in his late 30s.
“He was detained under the Misuse of Drugs Act and was later released without charge. A file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions,” Supt Duggan said.
The cannabis plants have been sent to garda headquarters in Dublin for examination.
Gardaí in Macroom carried out a similar seizure three weeks ago, again recovering around 40 plants.
“They were located in the garden of a private house in the Ballingeary area. They were hidden in a plastic tunnel in the garden. The plants had a street value of around €5,000,” Supt Duggan said.
A woman in her 40s, understood to be a foreign national, was interviewed at the scene by detectives. Gardaí confirmed they would be sending a file to the DPP in relation to that case.
Supt Duggan said gardaí believed a lot of cannabis cultivation was being carried out in the region and were determined to stamp it out.
Remote parts of west Cork have been favoured for growing cannabis for a number of years.
Gardaí in Macroom said they would be stepping up their operations in the coming weeks in an effort to close down more cultivation centres.
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