Three arrested as gardaí discover massive cannabis factory

One of the biggest cannabis factories ever discovered in Ireland has been raided by gardaí.

Three men, all from Asia, were detained at a warehouse in rural Co Offaly late last night.

The drugs squad estimates that somewhere in the region of 5,000 cannabis plants were being cultivated.

The factory, near Durrow, is thought to have been housing drugs worth €1.5m.

The men, two in their 20s and one in his 30s, were arrested last night when the warehouse was raided.

The raid took place at about 9.30pm near Durrow, a few miles north of Tullamore.

The suspects are being detained under section two of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act at Tullamore garda station, Co Offaly.

The cannabis factory is believed to be about five to 10 times the size of the average grow house operations frequently broken up by gardaí over the last few years.