Gardaí seize €8.2m worth of cocaine and heroin in raids across five counties

Drugs seized during garda raids on Tuesday and Wednesday. Picture: Garda Info

Gardaí have seized an estimated €8.2m worth of cocaine following raids at 16 properties across five counties on Tuesday and Wednesday.

As part of an ongoing operation aimed at dismantling a "well-structured criminal organisation involved in large-scale drug distribution", gardaí say they executed search warrants at 16 properties across South Dublin, West Dublin, Meath, Westmeath, Laois, and Offaly over the past two days. 

Sixty gardaí took part in the operation, including members of the Terenure Drugs Unit, the Serious Crime Unit Terenure, the DMR South Divisional Crime and Community Engagement Units, the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT), the DMR Armed Support Unit, and the Stolen Car Unit of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI).

During these searches, gardaí discovered more than 110kg of suspected cocaine and 1.5kg of suspected heroin inside two seized vehicles. 

The drugs, which have an estimated street value of approximately €8.2m, will now be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis. 

Cash amounts totalling €38,000 and €63,000 were also seized.

One man, aged in his 40s, was arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking offences. He is currently being detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, at a Garda station in the Dublin region.

A garda spokesperson said the investigation is ongoing.