Over €3 million worth of cocaine, over €350,000 in cash and a number of vehicles have been seized as part of a widespread day of action targeting drug trafficking in the east of the country, with two arrests made.
Thirty-seven dwellings, businesses and vehicles throughout locations in Dublin and Wicklow were searched on Thursday as part of ongoing investigations into the activities of a drug trafficking network based in the Dublin and Eastern regions.
In Wicklow, 44kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of €3.1 million was discovered in a vehicle.
A man aged in his 30s was arrested in connection with the discovery and is currently detained under section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.
Meanwhile in Dublin, €213,000 in cash was found at a residence in Clondalkin, with follow-up searches leading to the discovery of a further €140,000 in cash.
The total sum, €353,000, was seized by gardaí, and a second man, also aged in his 30s, has been arrested.
Eight vehicles, estimated to be worth over €200,000, were seized as evidence of money laundering/proceeds of crime, in addition to jewellery, electronic devices, laptops and smartphones.
Gardaí added that over €280,000 has also been frozen in bank accounts as part of the investigation, which remains ongoing.
The operation was led by the Garda Serious Crime Investigation, Drugs and Specialist Support Units, with support from the Dublin Crime Response team, personnel from the Clondalkin, Blackrock, Dún Laoghaire, Bray and Wicklow districts, the Garda Dog Unit, the Customs Canine Unit and the Armed Support Unit.
