Gardaí probe drug trafficker link

GARDAÍ are investigating links between a man arrested in a drugs and firearms seizure and a major international Irish drug trafficker.

The individual was one of two men arrested by gardaí when they seized a cannabis plant, cultivation equipment, a stun gun and a magazine for a firearm in two raids in Dublin’s south inner city.

The men, one aged in his 20s and another in his 50s, are closely related. Garda sources said the two men were “operating below the radar”, but suspect that they may be “very significant” operators in the drugs trade.

“One of the men is well-connected with a well-known trafficker in Amsterdam, so we are looking into that,” said a Garda source.

The first raid took place on a house on McCarthy Terrace on Tuesday evening. Gardaí recovered a cannabis plant, cultivation equipment and cannabis herb with a street value of approximately €5,000 (subject to forensic analysis).

A stun gun was also recovered.

A man in his 20s was arrested at the house.

A follow-up search was conducted at nearby New Street on Wednesday and a number of rounds of ammunition and a magazine were recovered.

Gardaí are concentrating on finding the firearm and further searches are underway. A man in his 50s was arrested in relation to this.

Both men are being detained under section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act, which allows for a maximum detention period of seven days.