Gardaí disrupt drugs supply

Gardaí believe they have disrupted a significant drugs supply network in East Cork following a series of co-ordinated raids at three different locations, which netted them cannabis plants, cannabis herb and ecstasy tablets.

According to a senior garda spokesman, the raids were pre-planned following intelligence-gathering and houses were targeted in the Midleton, Ballycotton and Killeagh areas.

The biggest find was made in Ballycotton where the search of a house resulted in the seizure of herbal cannabis with an estimated street value of €60,000.

The raid, carried out by members of the Midleton Garda District Drug Squad, backed by uniformed officers, took place at around 5pm on Wednesday.

A man in his mid-40s was subsequently arrested and taken to Midleton Garda Station where he was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

He was later released without charge and a file is to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

Gardaí also discovered 50 ecstasy tablets in the house which had a street value of €500.

Meanwhile, also on the same evening, gardai raided another house on the western outskirts of Midleton where they seized a further €2,000 worth of cannabis herb.

A further raid at a house in the village of Killeagh netted eight cannabis plants with a street value of €4,600.

The plants were in various stages of growth and another man, also believed to be in his 40s, was arrested in connection with the find.

A file will also be prepared for the DPP.

The garda spokesman said the operation used “advanced analytical and intelligence methods to disrupt criminals and dismantle their networks.

“We believe we have cut a significant drugs supply line to the East Cork area. The operation was the culmination of a number of weeks of intelligence-gathering,” the spokesman said.