Man and woman arrested after €1.5m drugs haul

GARDAÍ seized about €1.5 million worth of drugs yesterday in a huge operation in Dublin.

Two people, a man and a woman, were arrested and are being quizzed by detectives.

Gardaí believe they have made a big dent in a substantial drug trafficking network that supplies large parts of the city.

The operation was conducted by the Garda National Drugs Unit on Tuesday evening.

As part of an continuing investigation, the drugs unit swooped on a car in the Chapelizod area of west Dublin at about 7.30pm on Tuesday. They arrested a 25-year-old man who was in the car and seized 40kg of cannabis resin found in the vehicle.

The man, an Irish national, was detained under section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act and taken to Clondalkin Garda Station. He may be held, on application to the courts, for a maximum period of seven days. In a follow-up operation, an apartment in the Christchurch area of the south inner city was raided by the drugs unit officers. A further 160kg of cannabis resin was found at the scene.

A half kilogramme of cocaine, worth about €35,000, was also seized. A woman in the apartment was arrested.

Gardaí said, subject to forensic analysis, the 200kg of cannabis would have a street value of up to €1.5m. It is the latest big haul of cannabis since August:

September 17: a joint Garda-Customs-Navy operation recovered 260kg of cannabis, worth around €1.8m, 160km off the west coast.

August 20: the drugs unit recovered 50kg of herbal cannabis at Falcarraigh, Co Donegal, worth about €500,000.

August 17: gardaí seized 40kg of herbal cannabis, worth €400,000, in Cork.

August 8: Customs seized more than a tonne of herbal cannabis, worth €13m, at Dublin Port.