GARDAÍ from the Bantry Drugs Unit investigating the seizure of approximately €140,000 of suspected cannabis on October 12th have arrested a third person.
A woman, aged in her 50s, was arrested this (Sunday) afternoon, October 18th, and she is currently detained at Bantry Garda Station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking Act) 1996.
On Monday last, a multi-agency operation took place in Bantry and Dublin, led by the Bantry District Drugs Unit, Cork West Divisional Drugs Unit, Store Street District Drugs Unit, and assisted by the officers from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), Customs, and the Environmental Health Service of the HSE.
Five locations in Bantry and one in Dublin were searched in connection with the suspected importation, processing, and commercial sale of synthetic substances and controlled drugs. This operation is related to similar operations conducted in Bantry in January 2020.
As part of Monday’s operation two men, aged in their 20s, were arrested for suspected offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act and were detained under the provisions of Section 2 Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996, at Bantry Garda Station. They were later released without charged and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The searches resulted in the seizure of approximately 7kg of suspected cannabis valued at approximately €140,000 (subject to analysis). In addition, a significant but as of yet unspecified amount of synthetic /psychoactive material was also seized.
As a result of an inspection at one of the premises searched, the authorisied officers of the Environmental Health Service served a closure order under the FSAI Act. Official control samples were taken by FSAI authorised officers for analysis.
