Man arrested after cocaine valued at €800,000 found in car on main Cork-Dublin road

Suspect (31) taken for questioning over haul officers suspect destined for Cork market ahead of Christmas

Officers found cocaine worth an estimated €840,000 during the search close to the Watergrasshill toll plaza on the M8. Photograph: iStock/Getty
Officers found cocaine worth an estimated €840,000 during the search close to the Watergrasshill toll plaza on the M8. Photograph: iStock/Getty

A 31-year-old man has been arrested after gardaí discovered more than €800,000 worth of drugs when they stopped and searched a car on the main Cork-Dublin Road on Wednesday.

Officers found cocaine worth an estimated €840,000 when the search was carried out at around 7.30pm close to the Watergrasshill toll plaza on the M8 heading towards Cork.

A Polish national with an address in Co Tipperary was arrested and taken to Gurranebraher Garda station in Cork city to be questioned about the seizure.

He is being held under drug trafficking legislation which allows gardaí to detain suspects for up to seven days before they have to be charged or released.

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Garda sources were remaining tight-lipped about the operation, but detectives are understood to believe that the drugs were destined for the Cork market in the run-up to Christmas.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times