GARDAI in Wicklow were interviewing three British nationals yesterday following the discovery of a "small indoor cannabis factory" in Wicklow town.
The find resulted from the detention of a 35-year-old male British national at the Newtownmountkennedy by-pass on Monday night.
Two uniformed gardai and two detectives who were on their way to Druids Glen Golf Club as part of the security detail for the Murphy's Irish Open questioned the man on the by-pass after observing a car being driven in a suspicious manner. A quantity of herbal cannabis and white powder was found in the car.
Following the man's detention at Wicklow Garda station, gardai obtained a warrant and searched a premises at Main Street, Wicklow town.
According to the Garda Press Office the search, which took place at 3 a.m. yesterday, revealed a "cannabis cultivation operation with automatic lighting and water control" in an upstairs room. Two female British nationals, both aged 20, were also detained.
The man and one of the women were being held under the Criminal Justice Drugs Trafficking Act while the second woman was being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act yesterday.