Gardaí confirm 6kg drug haul of powder meth

GARDA sources yesterday confirmed that the huge haul of methamphetamine seized this week was in powder form and not the highly addictive crystal methamphetamine.

Contrary to some media reports that 6kg of crystal meth was seized, informed sources yesterday said that the haul was powder methamphetamine.

The crystal form of the drug is highly addictive and is smoked, whereas power methampethamine is either swallowed or injected, depending on the user.

The haul was made following a joint Garda/Customs investigation targeting drug trafficking by eastern European organised crime groups.

Following information from a foreign law enforcement agency, they monitored two vehicles that entered the state by ferry at Dublin port. The cars were followed to a location in Birr, Co Offaly, before being seized. Officers found the 6kg of powder methamphetamine in one car and 8kg of herbal cannabis in the other.

Members of the Garda National Drugs Unit (GNDU) arrested a 32-year Lithuanian man. He was released yesterday morning and a file will be prepared for the director of public prosecutions. Gardaí, meanwhile, are searching for other members of the gang.

The haul of methamphetamine dwarfs previous seizures of the drug. A mere 5g was seized in 2007, 136g in 2006 and 55g in 2005.

Gardaí do not have a formal valuation for the drug. Sources said that, in Britain, it fetches between €44 (£35) and €95 (£75) a gramme on the street which would suggest the seizure here would have a retail value of between €264,000 and €564,000.