GARDA 3-IN-1 STING HITS DRUGS GANGSTERS

THREE major surveillance operations spearheaded by the Garda national drugs
unit have resulted in the seizure of large hauls of ecstasy in Dublin and
the Netherlands with a total street value of IEP750,000.

The seizures have dealt a body blow to ecstasy distribution networks in
Dublin and Cork where the tablets were due to have been delivered this
month. They also led to the arrest of a 36-year-old man, suspected of being
one of the biggest drug traffickers in Munster.

The man was detained by detectives from Utrecht near Schipol airport in the
Netherlands following a joint operation involving the Garda national unit,
the Cork drugs squad and Dutch police.

He is believed to have made several trips to Amsterdam since July to set up
the purchase of a consignment of ecstasy for distribution in Cork.

As a result of a widespread undercover operation by the gardai and the
Dutch police, the suspect was tailed as he flew to Amsterdam two weeks ago
and police moved in near the airport as he collected a shipment of 35,000
tablets, worth IEP350,000, from a known Dutch drug trafficker.

The two men were taken into custody and are currently in jail there
awaiting trial on drugs trafficking charges.

Police also seized a couple of thousand pounds from the Cork man who has
served a jail sentence for a previous drug trafficking offence in Spain.
Details of the arrests and seizures were kept under wraps by the Gardai as
detectives, under the command of Chief Supt Ted Murphy, carried out further
inquiries into the trafficking links between here and the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation gardai seized 30,000 ecstasy tablets,
worth IEP300,000 after stopping a car near Cloghran in north Dublin. The
tablets had recently been smuggled into the country. A suspect, who lives
near Cloghran, was questioned about the find but subsequently released
without charge after 48 hours. The third unconnected haul was seized in a
flat in Drumcondra. Detectives found 10,000 ecstasy tablets, worth
IEP100,000, inside the flat. Three Britons and a Dubliner, were detained
for questioning but released without charge.

Checked-by: Pat Dolan