Four held in €1.2m heroin haul

FOUR gang members were being questioned yesterday following another large heroin haul.

The seizure of 6kg of heroin on Wednesday night brings to almost 130kg the total amount recovered by gardaí and customs this year.

This is close to last year’s total of 147kg, the highest tally on record.

The bulk of the heroin has been seized in the west Dublin Garda division, most of it in the neighbouring areas of Ballyfermot and Clondalkin.

UN and EU agencies have warned increasing quantities of heroin are being trafficked into Europe because of successive bumper crops of opium in Afghanistan in recent years.

Gardaí suspect that while more heroin is being trafficked into the country, they are intercepting a greater percentage of the overall quantity. Gardaí said the seizure of 6kg of heroin in Palmerstown, west Dublin, on Wednesday night was an “intelligence-led” operation.

A Garda spokesman said the operation was conducted by the Organised Crime Unit, the Garda National Drug Unit, the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and local units.

They stopped four cars on the Kennelsfort Road, Palmerstown, shortly after 9pm. During a search they recovered 6kg of what is believed to be heroin, which subject to analysis, would have a street value of about €1.2 million.

Four men, aged in their 20s, were arrested. Two are being detained at Clondalkin Garda Station and two in Ballyfermot Garda Station.

The Garda drugs and crime units and local drug units in west Dublin have carried out regular operations targeting drug gangs in the area this year.

Between them they have clocked up a number of large seizures, have made significant arrests and have also confiscated firearms.