Major figure in deadly feud arrested after €1.1m drugs seizure
A MAJOR figure in the deadly Drogheda feud was among three people in Garda custody last night after detectives seized over €550,000 in cash and €1.1m worth of drugs.
Gardaí believe the cash, most of which was vacuum packed, was due to be brought out of the country.
Two men, aged 50 and 39, and a 43-year-old woman were arrested after members of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) stopped a number of vehicles on the Donore Road and the North Road areas of Drogheda, Co Louth, on Monday. All three were arrested on suspicion of enhancing the ability of an organised crime gang to commit a serious offence.
They were last night being questioned in a number of Dublin Garda stations under anti-gangland crime laws.
Armed gardaí were involved in follow-up searches in counties Louth, Meath, Dublin and Wexford.
During this operation, gardaí seized what they described as a “substantial” quantity of cash, estimated to be more than €550,000.
They also seized cocaine and illegal prescription drugs with a total estimated street value to €1.1m. Gardaí believe the drugs were to be distributed among gangs based in Dublin, north Leinster and the Border counties.
Like many massive seizures of this kind, sources said the Kinahan cartel was suspected of sourcing the drugs.
Three vehicles, among them a top-of-the-range Mercedes, were also seized as well as six high-value watches, four of which were Rolexes. Detectives also seized two encrypted communications devices and two signal blocking devices.
Detective Chief Superintendent Angela Willis, of the GNDOCB, said: “The bureau continues to pursue those involved in serious and organised crime, while restrictions on movement associated with the coronavirus are in place, leading to another successful outcome to an operation, involving the seizure of significant quantities of controlled drugs and cash and other property believed to be the proceeds of crime and the arrest of three suspects.”
The seizure was one of a number of drugs hauls seized by gardaí this week including €35,000 worth of cocaine recovered in Co Longford and €140,000 worth of amphetamines and cannabis in Co Westmeath.