Cannabis herb worth over €2 million was seized by Gardaí in rural Co. Laois that was concealed among boxes of vegetables.
Gardaí in Portlaoise seized around 121kg of suspected cannabis herb with an estimated value of €2,180,000 yesterday morning (Monday, August 30).
At around 9:30a.m, Gardaí responded to a report of unusual activity on a rural road in Emo, Co. Laois.
Officers conducted a search of a storage facility and the surrounding areas and observed a quantity of pallets containing boxes of vegetables which had previously been uploaded from an articulated truck.
Following a search of these boxes, Gardaí recovered the packaged suspected cannabis herb, which is under analysis.
One man, aged in his 20s, was arrested at the scene and is currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at Portlaoise Garda Station.
Gardaí say the seizure is part of the national anti-drugs strategy, Operation Tara, which aims to disrupt drug trafficking networks involved in the sale, supply and distribution of controlled drugs at national and international level.
Investigations are ongoing.
In other Garda related news, an investigation is underway into the death of a sheep in Co. Tipperary that was killed “by blunt force trauma to the animal’s head”.
The incident is believed to have occurred in the Moyglass area of Co. Tipperary on Saturday evening (August 28), according to local Gardaí.
In an appeal for information in relation to the incident, Gardaí based in Co. Tipperary said: “A sheep was found dead by its owner with blunt force trauma to the animal’s head.”