Gardaí uncover cocaine ‘mixing house’ run by Moyross gang

IN a massive drugs bust, gardaí yesterday uncovered an elaborate cocaine ‘mixing house’ in Limerick being run by members of a Moyross gang.

The Limerick regional garda drugs squad made the find when they swooped on a semi-detached house near Claughaun GAA ground not far from the Parkway shopping centre.

Six kilogrammes of cocaine with a street value of €400,000 was found and three men, one his mid-40s and two in their late 20s were arrested.

All are known to the gardaí and connected to a Moyross drugs gang.

They were being held at Henry Street garda station last night under section 2 of the Drug Traffic Act which allows gardaí to detain them for seven days without charge.

A thorough forensic examination was being completed at the house.

As well as the drugs, gardaí discovered weighing scales, blenders, plastic packaging, a cocaine press, masking tape, gloves and other items used to prepare cocaine deals for sale on the street.

Inspector John O’Reilly said: “This was a mixing house where cocaine was being prepared for distribution throughout the region. This is a very significant find and will make a major dent in the cocaine scene in the region.”

The two main feud gangs, the Keane Collopys and the McCarthy Dundons control much of the drugs scene in the city.

Up to July Limerick gardaí had confiscated drugs, mostly heroin, worth more than €2.3 million from these two gangs and another based in Southill.

These gangs, as well Limerick city supply the entire mid-west, Kerry, Cork and Galway.

The head of the Keane family, Christy Keane is serving out a 10-year jail sentence having been found carrying a huge quantity of cannabis in a coal sack in St Mary’s Park.

With remission he is due out next February.

His son Liam Keane, who achieved notoriety when his trial for the murder of shop worker Eric Leamy collapsed is in jail having been remanded on a charge of possessing a Glock handgun.