Two ‘drug factories’ found in Cooley in past week
Two suspected cannabis factories have been uncovered in the Cooley area in the past week, Dundalk Gardai have confirmed.
The latest was uncovered following a fire at a disused pub near Carlingford in the early hours of Monday morning. The first one, in which cannabis plants with an estimated street value of €62,000, was found at a vacant house in Jenkinstown last Monday night week.
Gardai were called to the scene of the fire at Dundalk Street, Carlingford at around 12.30am after members of Louth County Council Fire and Rescue Service dealt with a blaze at the property.
Gardai found what they believe to be the remnants of a substantial cannabis growing operation at the back of the premises, though no plants were found. It is understood the electricity metre at the disused pub had been bypassed to grow a number of cannabis plants. Items were taken from the scene for forensic examination. And inquiries are continuing into what officers have described as a ‘sophisticated’ cannabis factory located at a vacant property at Upper Jenkinstown.
Gardai executed a search warrant at the disused property at around 7.15pm on September 19 after reports of a strong smell of cannabis emanating from the house, believed to have been caused by extractor fans working in the premises.
Inside, they found 77 cannabis plants growing, the electricity metre had been bypassed and a watering and cultivation operation established, and seeds and fertilizer were also uncovered.
Anyone with information about the finds, including anyone who saw anything suspicious at the properties over the last number of weeks, can contact Dundalk Garda station at 042 9388400 or the Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.
In other, unrelated discoveries, a 25-year-old woman was questioned after she was found to have cannabis worth around €15 in her possession on Thursday when Gardai saw the car she was in acting suspiciously at the Point Road at around 11pm.
And a 22-year-old was found to have cannabis worth around €30 on him when he was searched at the Garda station on Friday.
Meanwhile, Gardai said they are making ‘good progress’ in tracking down a man who robbed a filling station on the Castletown Road while armed with a hurley and a knife.
The incident happened on Wednesday last week at around 10.10 when a man walked into the store with the weapons and demanded money from the till while threatening staff behind the counter.
Gardai said they have examined CCTV footage from the scene and are ‘ making good progress’ in solving the robbery. Anyone with information is asked to contact Dundalk Garda station at 042 9388400.