Three arrested in cannabis raids
Officers believe the suspects are from Vietnam, China and Hong Kong and are trying to uncover their identity and whether they are legally resident.
A large Garda team, led by officers from Castlerea district headquarters in Roscommon, seized cannabis plants and dried cannabis herb with an estimated value of €500,000.
“I would describe this as a significant seizure,” said Superintendent Sean Ward of Castlerea Garda Station. “We seized approximately half a million worth of cannabis plants, some fully grown, others at different stages, plus bags of cannabis herb, in kilos.”
Gardaí also recovered sophisticated, and expensive, heating, lighting, ventilation and hydroponic equipment, used in the intensive growth of the plants.
Supt Ward said the three co-ordinated searches were conducted by uniformed gardaí and the detective branch from Castlerea, assisted by the Garda National Drug Unit (GNDU) and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
The finds were made in separate houses in Ballaghaderreen and Strokestown in Co Roscommon and Drumlish in Co Longford.
Supt Ward said one person was found in each of the three houses. They were arrested and detained under the Drug Trafficking Act at Boyle, Roscommon and Longford garda stations.
He said they had not been able to determine if the three arrested were here legally and said they needed interpreters to progress questioning.
Similar factories in Britain were typically found to have been staffed by Asian staff — often Chinese — smuggled illegally to work for Chinese gangs. The GNDU and the GNIB will assist in tracing the international links.
This is the second Garda operation to uncover cannabis plant factories.
Two weeks ago, the drugs unit raided a commercial premises at Greenogue, Newcastle, Co Dublin, and found a large cannabis factory. They discovered a related, and smaller, factory in Navan, Co Meath.
They seized 655 mid-life cannabis plants, valued at about €200,000. Some forged documentation relating to the illegal operation was also seized. In that case, the three men arrested were all Irish.
Further searches were carried out in Navan and Clonee in Co Meath, Ballymun, north Dublin and Portarlington, Co Laois. A further 40 plants were seized at the Navan site, along with various drugs paraphernalia. The total value of seizures was estimated at €250,000.
The search was part of Operation Vacuum, which had been set up by the GNDU, with the assistance of other units, including the Clondalkin Drugs Unit.
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