Father and son drug bust ‘linked to North gang’

GARDAÍ believe a father and son arrested in a massive drug bust in Donegal are working for a big criminal gang in the North.

Detectives suspect that while the pair may have connections with subversive organisations, the drug trafficking business was purely a criminal enterprise.

Forensic tests were underway yesterday into the 50kg of herbal cannabis seized in Falcarragh, Co Donegal, on Monday. It is not yet known the strength of the drug.

It is the third significant haul of herbal cannabis seized in the past fortnight.

Senior officers said that while there had definitely been a rise in the amount of the drug seized, it was too early to say if there was a new trend in its use.

Herbal cannabis is stronger than cannabis resin, which has traditionally been the main form of cannabis used in Ireland.

The seizure in Donegal followed a joint operation by the Garda National Drugs Unit and the Customs Service.

Depending on analysis of the drug, the haul is estimated to have a street value of about €500,000.

A house was searched in the Ballyness area of Falcarragh, as was a house in Armagh by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Two men, a father and son aged 47 and 25, were arrested. They are both from Armagh.

“This is a significant enough gang and it’s a fairly big seizure in Northern Ireland terms,” said a Garda source.

“They [the men arrested] were doing it for themselves as criminals, for money. We are not looking at any particular subversive organisation.”

Gardaí said the gang operated on both sides of the Border.

The haul followed the seizure of 40kg of herbal cannabis, worth €400,000, in Cork last Friday and more than a tonne of herbal cannabis, worth €13m, in Dublin Port on August 8.