Major city drug gang smashed in £750,000 seizure

Irish Independent
Major city drug gang smashed in £750,000 seizure

By TOM BRADY Security Editor

Wednesday July 28 1999
GARDAI believe they have cracked a major Dublin city drug trafficking gang after seizing a £750,000 consignment in a park.Members of the garda drugs unit in Clontarf, backed up by the national drugs unit, uncovered the haul after a week-long surveillance operation in the capital.

Detectives stopped a man who is suspected of being a close associate of a leading north inner-city drug trafficker in St Anne's Park in Raheny and detained him for questioning.

They recovered a haul of cannabis, cocaine and heroin estimated to be worth £750,000 on the streets.

Last night a man and woman were both being questioned by detectives at Clontarf under drug trafficking legislation after their periods of detention were extended.

Gardai said the surveillance of suspects followed weeks of inquiries involving the local unit in Clontarf.

Meanwhile, a routine car search yesterday saw the seizure of cannabis with an estimated street value of £250,000.

Gardai made the find shortly before 8pm outside the village of Rathmore, Co Kerry.

Officers said the driver of a car parked outside the village had been acting suspiciously and an examination of the boot of the car revealed 25kg of cannabis.

A 36-year-old man with an address in Kerry was arrested and is being held in custody.

- TOM BRADY Security Editor