Gardaí investigating organised criminal activity and drug trafficking in the southeast of the country have arrested five more people.
For the past three days gardaí have been carrying out planned searches of homes and businesses in Carlow, Kildare, Meath, Offaly, Laois, Tipperary and Waterford.
This morning three men and two women aged in their 20s and 30s were arrested.
Eight others, arrested earlier this week, were released overnight leaving a total of ten people in custody. They are being detained at Garda stations throughout the southeast of the country where they are being held under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act.
During the raids gardaí also recovered a large consignment of contraband cigarettes.
The ongoing operation involves gardaí from Carlow, regional and national units and customs officers.
A Garda spokesman said the operation was established in the Carlow district in October last year with the objective of targeting organised criminal activity, drug trafficking and the possession of firearms in the county and throughout the south east.
To date, the operation has yielded 18 seizures of controlled substances and cash, while €4.4 million worth of drugs - including cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines - has also been recovered.
