Customs nets €1.7m cannabis haul

Revenue’s Customs service has delivered another blow to trafficking gangs supplying the lucrative Christmas market with the seizure of 85kg of herbal cannabis, worth around €1.7m.

Figures show that more than 350kg of cannabis herb has been intercepted by Customs in the last four weeks — accounting for 80% of total hauls of the drug for the year to date.

An analysis of Customs data shows that Dublin Port and the Portlaoise Mailing Centre make up the bulk of herb consignments this year.

The two biggest hauls were through Dublin Port: the 85kg seized on Monday; and 200kg confiscated on November 26.

In Monday’s interception, the drugs were discovered when officers scanned a container of animal feed. A Custom’s spokeswoman said this highlighted “anomalies” when compared to information provided with the shipment.

“Revenue’s X-ray scanner revealed 85 smaller packages of vacuum-packed drugs hidden within large cartons of animal feed,” the spokeswoman said.

She said the consignment was destined for a premises in Dublin’s north inner city. Investigations are ongoing and gardaí are involved.

It followed a second seizure on Monday, at the Portlaoise Mail Centre, when 42kg of herb was uncovered, with a street value of €840,000. They were discovered when Revenue’s sniffer dog, Stella, gave a positive reaction on a parcel described on the manifest as ‘food and spices’, consigned from West Africa to a north Dublin address.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation on Monday, gardaí uncovered a grow house in Avoca, Co Wicklow.

Detectives seized around 150 cannabis plants, with an estimated value of €120,000. Officers also removed a large amount of hydroponic equipment.

The seizure was made at a house at Cherrymount, in the Co Wicklow village. A 30-year-old man was arrested and taken to Pearse Street Garda Station. He was released without charge, pending a file being sent to the DPP.