Gardaí shut down cocaine factory

GARDAÍ have tracked down and closed a sophisticated cocaine factory in Cork, which they believe supplied most of the northside of the city with the Class A drug.

A senior Garda spokesman described the seizure of compressors, mixing agents and vacuum packing equipment as a “very significant breakthrough” in the war against drugs.

Following a surveillance operation on Tuesday, detectives from the city’s Divisional Drugs Unit swooped on a house in The Glen area shortly before midnight.

They discovered €70,000 worth of cocaine in the house as well as a “significant amount” of equipment associated with its production and distribution.

Detectives arrested a man in his early 20s at the scene. He had been living in the house for a relatively short time and is originally from the Douglas area.

A Garda spokesman said the man was known to them.

He was taken to Mayfield Garda Station where he was being detained yesterday under Section two of the Drugs Trafficking Act.

Under the legislation, he can be held for up to seven days without being charged.

“This is a very significant find in the lead up to Christmas when there is traditionally a higher level of cocaine use. It is quite rare, to find a drugs factory like this and we believe we have done a lot of damage to the distribution of cocaine in the north side of the city,” the Garda spokesman said.

He added that drugs squad detectives were determined to continue with their “relentless campaign” against drug dealers in the city and suburbs.

Last weekend, five people were arrested in the area resulting in the seizure of €70,000 worth of cannabis and €50,000 worth of ecstasy tablets.

Meanwhile, as part of the Christmas anti-drugs campaign, extra gardaí are to be sent undercover into bars and nightclubs in the city centre.

Club owners have also promised to play their part in rooting out drug dealers.

Paul Montgomery of Rearden’s, which represents club owners in the area, warned that anybody caught dealing drugs would be reported to gardaí, saying that club and pub owners in the Washington Village area adopt a “zero tolerance policy” on drugs.

Sergeant Alan Cronin meanwhile said that his colleagues would be used in the undercover operation and would be in constant liaison with bar and nightclub security.

“We’re on the lookout for all types of drugs but cocaine seems to be the most fashionable at the moment. The message is: ‘we’re getting tough on drugs’,” Sgt Cronin added.