Haul may be linked to major drugs ring

THE massive consignment of drugs seized in Co Clare yesterday could have a street value of up to €9 million, according to the garda in charge of the operation.

A businessman from the Killaloe area was arrested and was still in custody this morning.

Supt Tony Kennelly, Killaloe, said they cannot arrive at the true value of the haul until the substances have been analysed at the garda laboratory in Dublin.

“But is could be somewhere between four and nine million euro,” he said.

This would make it the most significant drugs bust in the country this year and one of the biggest ever. The drugs included cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines and ecstasy tablets, believed to be destined for the tourist market in Clare, Galway and the west of Ireland.

The drugs were found when a transit van was stopped by gardaí in the townland of Ross between O’Brien’s Bridge and Killaloe shortly after 10am.

A local businessman in his 30s who was driving the van was arrested and is being held in Killaloe garda station under the Drugs Act.

Yesterday’s operation was the culmination of a huge surveillance operation by specialist units, including the National Drugs Unit and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Gardaí from the Killaloe district were also involved.

Supt Kennelly said the drugs were brought in by an east Clare drugs gang. “This is a very significant find and a major blow against organised crime,” he said.

It emerged yesterday that two other significant drugs finds have been made in east Clare in recent days as part of the garda operation.

A large quantity of drugs was found in a garda raid in the Mountshannon area on Thursday, along with more than €25,000 in cash. A man arrested at the scene has been brought to Dublin for questioning about other crimes.

Earlier this week, Killaloe gardaí discovered a cannabis ‘farm’ concealed in open countryside near Feakle. A large number of cannabis plants were being cultivated in horticulture tunnels. A man was detained for questioning and released.

Following yesterday’s discovery, a series of house raids were carried out in the Killaloe and O’Brien’s Bridge areas. It is believed the man arrested yesterday may be known to the two others arrested in Mountshannon and Feakle and gardaí believe they have uncovered a massive drugs ring operating out of east Clare.