Five arrested as drugs worth €2.1m and a pair of pill-making machines seized by gardaí
Operation Westmeath Drugs During Síochána The An The Picture: And In Cash Seized Kildare And Garda
Five men and one woman have been arrested in connection with the seizure of €2.1m worth of cocaine and cannabis and a pair of pill-making machines during raids in Kildare and Westmeath.
The operation, which targeted transnational organised crime, was carried out by members of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) and a number of national units and personnel from the Eastern Region.
During an initial search, gardaí seized approximately 29kg of suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of around €2m, as well as €112,050 in cash.
In a follow-up search at another premises, gardaí discovered two pill-making machines and a cannabis cultivation facility.
Officers also uncovered and seized cannabis with estimated street value of €125,000 along with some drug paraphernalia.
Following the raids, two men were charged with drug-related offences and are due to appear before Naas District Court on Monday, July 17.
Two other arrested individuals — a man and woman — have been released without charge pending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The fifth arrested person, a man, remains in garda custody.
Assistant Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said: "I commend the detectives involved in this successful operation to disrupt an organised criminal group exploiting our communities."
"This work shows our absolute determination to target the activities of key individuals involved in the production and distribution of controlled drugs.
"Illicit pill manufacturing is undertaken in dangerous clandestine facilities with no control measures whatsoever in place, adding to the risk to end users," he added.