11 arrested in Carlow heroin swoop

Eleven people were being questioned by gardaí today after raids on several houses by drugs squad officers targeting heroin dealing.

More than 20 searches were carried out in the Carlow region by around 80 gardaí from the south eastern regional drugs unit, backed up by officers from the Garda national drugs squad.

Eight men and three women, ranging in age from mid-20s to mid-60s, were detained under Section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act on suspicion of selling and supplying heroin.

They were being questioned at Carlow, Kilkenny, Thomastown and Athy garda stations.

Officers have been targeting the sale and supply of the drug in the south east region for several months.

Seizures have been made in previous searches but none took place today.