Loaded handgun and drugs seized in searches

Gardaí recovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun and around €50,000 worth of drugs when they searched the house of a man suspected of carrying out a string of burglaries.

A man, aged in his 20s, was arrested in the operation in Dublin’s north inner city and is being questioned by detectives.

The haul included a loaded firearm, ammunition, a large consignment of cannabis herb and a quantity of street tablets.

A Garda statement said: “Gardaí have arrested a man in his late 20s in relation to burglary incidents that occurred at a premises on Merchants Road, East Wall in March and April, 2020.”

It said that shortly after 7.30am on Thursday, gardaí attached to the Detective Unit in Store Street Garda Station, assisted by the Divisional Drugs Unit, searched a house on foot of a warrant obtained in relation to the burglaries.

During the course of the search, cannabis herb with an estimated street value of €44,460, around 2kgs of the drug, was found.

In addition, Diazepam tablets with a street value of €4,234 (subject to analysis) were seized. They are benzodiazepine tranquilliser tablets, which can only be legally supplied under prescription through medical channels.

In addition, some 250 pouches of tobacco and exhibits in relation to burglaries were also confiscated.

The Garda statement said: “A loaded Beretta semi-automatic pistol with six rounds of ammunition was also seized.”

One man was arrested and taken to Store Street station and detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.

“The man remains in custody and investigations are ongoing,” the statement said.

In a separate operation in Kerry, gardaí uncovered a cannabis grow house in the Killarney area.

A Garda statement said that shortly after 10.30am on Thursday, members of the Kerry Divisional Drugs Unit, assisted by Killarney gardaí and the Southern Region Dog Unit, executed a search warrant at a house and its land outside of Killarney town.

“During the course of the search Gardaí found 250 suspected cannabis plants, which were at an early stage of growth,” it said.

“If grown to maturity and sold, the plants would have a potential street value of €206,000," it said.

The search team also seized €100 in cannabis herb, €2,500 in cash and a weighing scales.

The drugs are being sent for analysis.

“No arrests have been made but gardaí are following a definite line of enquiry,” the statement said.

The hauls follow the seizure of two handguns and 8kgs of cocaine in Dublin city centre on Tuesday after gardai pursued a vehicle that failed to stop at a Covid-19 checkpoint.