By Cormac Murphy
Tuesday July 08 2008
A MASSIVE €4m heroin cache has been seized by gardai, just as it was about to be distributed for sale on the streets of Dublin.
The sting has dealt a huge blow to a drugs gang, which detectives have been tracking for months.
The shipment was seized after a major operation involving the garda national drugs unit and the national surveillance unit.
One of the biggest drug trafficking gangs in the city is now counting the cost of the seizure. It was the third shipment from the gang to be intercepted by detectives since the start of the year.
The criminals in question have been a target of the national drugs unit for several months.
Armed detectives captured the 20 kilos of heroin after they stopped a car near the Halfway House pub at Ashtown, on the Navan Road, shortly after 9pm last night.
The 21-year-old driver of the car, who is from Ballymun, was arrested and brought him to Blanchardstown garda station for questioning.
ARRESTED
Two other people were arrested in another vehicle nearby but were later released without charge. A drug trafficking gang based in west Dublin organised for the haul to be brought into the country.
In January, gardai seized 32 kilos of heroin, with a street value of €6.4m, from the gang and a further 10 kilos, worth €2m, was recovered by detectives in Co Meath in March.
The latest seizure has been hailed by senior officers as a highly significant success against the criminal outfit, which has established a network of contacts overseas.
"Gardai from the Garda National Drug Unit have seized 20kg of what is believed to be heroin (subject to analysis) as part of a planned operation," a garda statement said:
"One male in his early 20s is being detained at Blanchardstown Garda Station.
"The drugs seized are believed to be valued in the region of €4m."
- Cormac Murphy
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