Gardaí arrested five men and seized drugs worth over €70,000 in an operation targeting organised crime in Co Limerick on Tuesday.
A number of searches were conducted by gardaí attached to Limerick crime functional area at locations in Limerick, Cork and Clare.
During the course of these searches cash in excess of €11,310 was seized as well as approximately €53,100 suspected cocaine, €20,000 suspected cannabis and €4,650 suspected alprazolam and controlled medication tablets. Four suspected firearms and ammunition have also been seized.
All evidence seized will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for further examination.
During the search of a field in the Limerick area, the assistance of the Army explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) unit was requested to make safe a suspicious device. A controlled explosion was carried out and on examination this device was found to have been a viable explosive.
Five men were arrested during the course of this operation for offences under provisions of the Criminal Law Act, 1997, and detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 at garda stations in the Limerick region.
One man has been released from detention and charged with separate road traffic offences. He will appear before Limerick District Court this morning.
Four men remain in custody.
Three women were also arrested yesterday for offences contrary to the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. They appeared before Limerick District Court on Tuesday.
