Gardaí search multiple properties after €3m of cocaine found in suitcase

Gardaí have seized cocaine valued at €3m and arrested a man in his 30s following a search operation at a residence in Clondalkin, Dublin on Tuesday 9th July 2024.

Gardaí have searched properties across west and south Dublin after seizing a huge amount of cocaine inside a house in the Clondalkin area.

An estimated 43kgs of the drug were found packed inside a suitcase when detectives searched a property under warrant – and arrested a man, aged in his 30s.

Images show the cocaine divided up into separate wrapped bales, some with identifying markings on them, identifying possible recipients, which have been blurred out in the Garda photographs.

The size of the haul could suggest that multiple gangs may have clubbed together for sections of the consignments.

The haul, made on Tuesday, has been given an initial street valuation by gardaí of €3 million, but the cocaine is likely of high purity.

The operation was led by the Serious Crime South Ballyfermot & Clondalkin.

On foot of the haul in Clondalkin, garda teams conducted searches on Wednesday in neighbouring Ballyfermot and on the far side of the Naas Road in Dublin 12.

During the course of the further searches, cocaine with an approximate value of €2,500 and €1,600 cash were seized.

A woman, aged in her 40s, was arrested.

Assistance in the searches was provided by Ballyfermot Drug & Detective units, the Garda Dog Unit, the Divisional Search Team, and the Regional Dublin Crime Response Team.

Six scrambler bikes were also seized in the operation.

Detective Superintendent Tomás Gormley, Officer in Charge of Serious Crime South, Clondalkin, said: "We wish to acknowledge the excellent work conducted by local Gardaí, who were assisted by colleagues in the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT) and National Support Services, in keeping people in the community safe.

"The detrimental impact of the sale and supply of drugs as well as the illegal activities of organised crime groups cannot be underestimated. We remain determined to dismantle their presence in the wider Clondalkin and Ballyfermot area.” 

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It is not clear what gang was behind the trafficking into the country of such a large quantity of cocaine.

It is understood that one of the largest international traffickers of heroin and cocaine in Ireland – run by brothers based in Clondalkin - is not suspected of being involved.

Investigations are continuing as to whether a group of gangs came together to finance the consignment, which is not uncommon in organised crime.

Recent cocaine seizures

The quantity seized on Tuesday is just marginally below another massive cocaine haul earlier in the year.

Last February, garda units in DMR Southern Division seized 44kgs of cocaine inside a house in Co Wicklow.

As part of that operation they confiscated €213,000 in cash from a home in Clondalkin.

Seizures of cocaine are down significantly so far this year, compared to 2023, which was a record year in Ireland, due mainly to massive bulk seizures along the coast and in ports.

This included the 2.2 tonnes of cocaine inside the container ship, MV Matthew, when it was stormed in a military operation off the Cork coast last September.

Last December 300kgs of cocaine was found inside a cargo ship that had docked at Foynes Port in Co Limerick.