€300k cocaine seizure in Kerry

A man was being questioned in Tralee Garda station last night after the seizure of drugs with a street value of almost €300,000 at Kerry Airport.

Officers from Revenue’s Customs Service seized 4kg of cocaine.

As a result of risk profiling, officers stopped and searched a British national who has an address in Co Cork as he arrived on the scheduled 1.55pm flight from Frankfurt/Hahn.

They found the cocaine, estimated to be worth €280,000, in the lining of his rucksack. He was immediately arrested and taken into custody under section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act.

Kerry Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris welcomed the seizure and congratulated the customs officials.

“They have done us a great service by preventing these drugs from reaching our streets,” said Mr Ferris.

“The scale of this seizure is reflective of the scale of the drug problem currently facing us.

“This, no doubt, only represents a fraction of the drugs coming into the country.

“We must remain vigilant and continue to exert maximum pressure on those who seek to peddle drugs in our communities and to wreak havoc on society.

“Drugs are a scourge on our communities and cocaine, like other drugs, destroys people’s lives and has a huge impact on their families and the wider community.”