GARDAÍ AND Customs officers believe they have uncovered a drug supply route from continental Europe to the west of Ireland following the arrest of two men and the seizure of herbal cannabis in Co Galway.
Some 20kg of the drug were found in a holdall bag as it was being delivered to a man in a car park in Oranmore, Co Galway, yesterday morning.
Garda sources said one of two men arrested at the scene was regarded as a “significant” drug dealer in Co Galway, who has been a Garda target for some time.
The other man arrested is originally from Dublin and is also regarded as a drugs gang member.
The seized drugs, worth an estimated €250,000, had been imported into the country on a car ferry from Belgium. They were driven across the country to Galway for delivery.
Customs officers detected the drugs when the vehicle they were hidden in was disembarking the ferry. The vehicle was put under surveillance and gardaí allowed the haul to be driven into a car park in Oranmore for a handover. When the drugs were delivered, gardaí moved in.
The two suspects, aged 45 and 50, were arrested when a search of their vehicles yielded the drugs. The vehicles have been confiscated for forensic examination.
Both suspects were detained under section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act and were still being detained at Mill Street Garda station in Galway last night. They can be held for up to seven days without charge.
Yesterday’s operation involved the Garda National Drugs Unit, Galway Drugs Unit and Revenue’s Customs officers.