Three arrests as €735k worth of  drugs and cash seized in Garda operations in Limerick and Cork

In a search of a premises in Blackrock, gardaí seized 1kg of suspected amphetamine with an approximate value of €15,000, as well as 3kg worth of suspected cannabis valued at €50,000

Men aged in their 40s and 30s and a woman in her 50s have been arrested. File picture: Eddie O'Hare

Gardaí have arrested two men and a woman and seized more than €735,000 worth of illegal drugs and cash during separate raids in Limerick and Cork. 

On Wednesday, gardaí attached to the Anglesea Street Divisional Drugs Unit executed a search under warrant of a premises in Blackrock, Cork.

During the course of the search, they recovered and seized 1kg of suspected amphetamine, with an approximate value of €15,000, as well as 3kg worth of suspected cannabis valued at €50,000. A number of mobile phones and a quantity of cash were also recovered. 

A man aged in his 40s has been arrested in connection with the investigation. He is currently detained pursuant to Section 2 Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996, at a Garda station in the Cork area.

Also on Wednesday, gardaí arrested a man in his 30s in connection with the seizure of €100,000 worth of cannabis during searches of residential locations in the St Mary's Park area of Limerick city. 

The arrested man is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, at a Garda station in the Limerick area.

During the course of the search, gardaí seized 1kg of suspected amphetamine with an approximate value of €15,000. Picture: File

In a follow-up search on Thursday, suspected cocaine with an estimated value of €100,000 was uncovered and seized, along with €250,000 in cash.

During another search of a property in St Mary's Park later on Thursday, quantities of cocaine, cannabis, and heroin with a combined value exceeding €220,000 were also located and seized by gardaí.

A woman in her 50s was then arrested in connection with this seizure. She is currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act at a Garda station in Limerick.

The searches were both carried as part of An Garda Síochána's Operation Tara, which focuses on disrupting, dismantling, and prosecuting drug trafficking networks at international, national, and local levels, involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale, and supply of controlled drugs.

A Garda spokesperson said investigations into all of the seizures are ongoing.