Charges brought as gardaí resources target small-time dealers

Drugs detectives charged 11 people today after an undercover sting in Cork city targeting small-time dealers.

The two women and nine men, mainly in their 20s, were arrested over the past two days as part of a lengthy investigation codenamed Operation Reuben.

Undercover officers had been buying small amounts of drugs from suspected dealers around the city mainly at weekends since before Christmas.

Cocaine, cannabis resin and cannabis plants with an approximate value of €6,000 were recovered.

The evidence culminated in a series of searches this week which led to more than 50 charges against the 11 people relating to the supply of drugs including heroin, cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy.

Further amounts of drugs were seized in the raids.

Gardaí claim that the six-month long operation has seriously disrupted the sale and supply of controlled drugs across Cork city and county.

The investigation was led by the Garda Cork city divisional drugs unit with the help of the Garda National Drugs Unit.