GARDAI NET £400,000 CANNABIS HAUL AS MAJOR DRUGS OPERATION IS FOILED

GARDAI have foiled a major drug-dealing operation in Cork with the
discovery of almost £400,000 worth of cannabis in a heavily-wooded area
about 10 miles outside the city.

The drugs were bound for distribution mainly in Cork city and county, and
probably further afield to dealers in Limerick and Kerry, by one of four
gangs operating in the southern capital.

The seizure came after a two-day search operation involving over 40
officers. Gardai from the Cork North and Cork City divisions, together with
members of the Cork City Drugs Squad, used sniffer dogs to isolate the
drugs among dense woodland in a remote part of Cork county.

The gardai were acting on intelligence gathered during a long-term
surveillance operation on members of a lesser-known Cork city drugs gang.

This is thought to have been the largest ever consignment of drugs handled
by this particular gang, and with close on £500,000 worth of drugs believed
to have been involved altogether, gardai were privately hailing a major
coup last night.

Gardai are continuing to search a dense woodland area at Knockraha, near
Glanmire in County Cork, following the seizure of 14 kilos of cannabis
resin on Wednesday and the further discovery of 25 more kilos yesterday
morning.

Yesterday's search began at first light and quickly uncovered two separate
bails of cannabis with a street value of £250,000. The search, which at its
height involved over 40 officers under the direction of Superintendent
Kieran McGann, Cobh, has now been scaled down.

However, gardai believe there may yet be more drugs concealed in the wooded
area, and it is understood the woodlands are being kept under guard while
searches continue.

Two men were arrested and detained under the Drug Trafficking Act on
Wednesday after being monitored by gardai leaving a wooded area at
Leamlara, County Cork.