Gardaí dented the activities of drug gangs in Limerick and in Clare, recovering €643,000 worth of the gang's product as well as a substantial amount of cash, and arresting five people.
Gardaí attached to the Limerick Divisional Drugs Unit, backed up by the Regional Support Unit (RSU) intercepted a car on the R463, at Westbury, situated between Corbally and Ardnacrusha, shortly after 2pm Friday.
Upon searching the car gardaí discovered €10,000 worth of suspected cocaine and arrested three males who were travelling in the vehicle.
The men were intercepted by armed gardaí in a dramatic swoop as many witnesses, including motorists, shoppers and walkers, looked on.
The three males were handcuffed by officers and laid face down on the main road as armed gardaí carrying submachine guns monitored the scene.
In follow-up searches gardaí seized more than €600,000 of suspected cocaine, heroin, amphetamine, and diazepam tablets and a man and a woman were arrested.
Garda sources said they believe the drugs and cash were being moved and stored by associates of drug gangs based in Limerick City, as well as in Ennis, Co Clare.
“At approximately 2.15pm (Friday), Gardaí stopped a vehicle on the Corbally Road in Co. Clare. During a search of the vehicle, Gardaí located approximately €10,000 worth of suspected cocaine. The drugs were seized and will be sent for analysis,” said a Garda spokesman.
“The occupants of the vehicle, three men aged in their 20s and 40s, were arrested at the scene and taken to Henry Street Garda Station where they are currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.”
“Two of these men have since been released from custody pending files to the DPP.”
“A number of follow-up searches were conducted in Limerick yesterday evening. During the course of these searches, approximately €406,000 Cocaine, €140,000 Heroin, €45,000 Amphetamine, €42,852 Diazapam Tablets and a large sum of cash was seized by Gardaí. The exact values of the seized items are to be confirmed pending examination.”
“A further two persons were arrested over the course of the evening. A male, aged in his 50s, and a female, aged in her 30s, are also detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, in Henry Street Garda Station.”
Gardai described their investigations as “ongoing”, and further seizures and arrests may follow.
