€8.5m Cannabis Seized in Dublin, Four Arrested

Irish police (gardaí) have arrested four men following the seizure of cannabis valued at €8.5 million (£7.1 million) during a raid in Dublin. The arrests came after gardaí intercepted two vehicles and conducted a search in the Ballymount area of Tallaght at around 15:00 local time, where they discovered 429kg (946lb) of the drug.

The four suspects, aged 31, 45, 52, and 58, were detained on charges related to facilitating a criminal organization involved in drug trafficking. They are currently being held at various Garda stations in Dublin.

Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly highlighted the significance of the operation, saying it underscores the gardaí’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and making Ireland a challenging environment for such criminal activities.

This seizure is part of Operation Tara, a national anti-drugs initiative aimed at curbing drug-related crime.

In a separate operation, gardaí seized illegal tablets worth approximately €1.976 million (£1.6 million) during searches of multiple properties across Dublin. Zopiclone and Alprazolam tablets, along with €4,500 in cash, were recovered.

Two men, aged in their 50s and 30s, have been charged in connection with the tablet discovery. The younger man is due to appear in court later on Saturday, while the older man is scheduled for a court appearance on Monday.