Gardaí seize €250k cannabis in night raid
Its at least the third signifiant drug seizure carried out by local gardaí in Co Monaghan in as many weeks.
A man has been arrested after over 300 cannabis plants with an estimated value of €250,000 were seized when gardaí raided a house in Monaghan late last night.
Uniformed officers and gardaí attached to the Divisional Drugs Unit were involved in the planned search of the house in Carrickmacross shortly after 11.30pm on Saturday, February 20.
Its at least the third signifiant drug seizure carried out by local gardaí in Co Monaghan in as many weeks.
During the course of last night’s search in Carrickmacross a cultivation unit with over 300 cannabis plants with an estimated value of €250k (analysis pending) was discovered.
A man in his 30s has been arrested.
A spokesperson for the force confirmed this morning that the male is currently detained at Carrickmacross Garda Station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996
“The investigation is ongoing,” the spokesperson added.
Only last week, on Wednesday February 17, as part of a planned Cross Border Joint Agency Task Force Operation aimed tackling rural crime along border counties, gardaí arrested one man in his 40s following the seizure of suspected heroin, amphetamines and cannabis in Clones, Co. Monaghan.
This Joint Agency Task Force operation included collaboration and cooperation with the PSNI and the Garda North Western Regional Armed Support Unit, the Garda Air Support Unit, regular Policing Units, Detective Branches, and roads policing units from the Louth, Cavan/Monaghan, Sligo/Leitrim, and Donegal divisions.
Three further detections were made for drugs possession arising from a number of drugs searches.
Then last month, January 23, in the course of ongoing investigations targeting persons suspected to be involved in organised crime, personnel attached to the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), supported by the Garda Dog Unit, seized cannabis herb with an estimated street value of €1,120,000 was seized during searches in counties Monaghan and Louth.
Gardaí also seized one firearm, ammunition, and €100,000 in cash, which is suspected to be the proceeds of crime.
At the time, Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll, who is head of Organised and Serious Crime within An Garda Síochána, said: "We continue to target those causing most harm in our community. Reducing the availability of illicit drugs and firearms that cause untold misery in our communities will continue to be our priority.”