€800,000 of drugs are seized after gardaí stop cars on M50

GARDAÍ have dealt a major blow to a drug-trafficking gang operating between two counties after seizing €800,000 worth of drugs.

A further €5,000 in cash was recovered as part of an investigation into the organised crime group that is based between west Dublin and Co Meath.

Two men were arrested and were last night being questioned at a Garda station in the capital in relation to drug-trafficking offences.

In a planned search, two cars were stopped on the M50 on Monday by local and national units.

The vehicles were examined and cannabis herb, with an estimated street value of €80,000, was seized along with €5,000 in cash.

Following the discovery of the drugs, a further search was carried out at a property on the Navan Road, Dublin, where €720,000 worth of drugs was seized.

The illicit substances seized included crystallised MDMA – known as ‘Molly’ – as well as cannabis herb and cannabis resin.

Two men, aged 47 and 58, were being held at Finglas Garda station under section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

The men can be detained and questioned for up to seven days.

A Garda spokesman said: “The operation was carried out by the Special Crime Task Force, Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and a number of units based in the Dublin Metropolitan Region.”

It is the second significant bust against the drug gang operating between the capital and Meath in the last number of months.

Earlier this year a planned Garda operation led to the seizure of €1.2m worth of cannabis and cocaine.

The drugs were seized when a vehicle was stopped and searched in the Slane area.

Further searches were carried out and two males were arrested in relation to the large drug seizure.

The operation was carried out by the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB), which was formed two years ago.

This unit, which amalgamated the Garda National Drugs Unit and the Organised Crime Unit, has led the battle against criminal gangs operating in the State.

One of the senior gardaí attached to the unit, Tony Howard, was recently promoted to the rank of Detective Chief Superintendant and will oversee the Special Detective Unit.