Cocaine seized from halting site in Dublin

Cocaine valued at an estimated €1.5 million has been seized by gardaí from a halting site at Coolock in Dublin.

Some 7kg of the drug was found by detectives during a planned search of the halting site at Grove Lane on Saturday.

The raid was part of a series of investigations under Operation Thaw, which was set up last year to tackle the distribution and supply of drugs in Coolock and Darndale.

Three houses, two of them unoccupied, and two mobile homes were targeted.

A gun magazine and ammunition, equipment for mixing cocaine, including a weighing scale and a substantial quantity of mixing agent, were also recovered in the early-morning search. Gardaí believe they may have uncovered a major cocaine-mixing factory.

Most of the cocaine was found in one of the unused houses but a small amount of cocaine and heroin, with an estimated street value of €2,000, were also found in one of the mobile homes.

No arrests were made and gardaí say their investigations are ongoing.

The searches were carried out by members of the Coolock Garda drug unit supported by a divisional search team.

Operation Thaw, which was set up under Supt Mark Curran of Coolock Garda station to deal with long-running crime and drug-dealing problems, has already led to 30 drug searches and 40 arrests and involves a comprehensive community policing initiative.