Man arrested following 2.5 million euro drug seizure

A man has been arrested after drugs worth more than 2.5 million euro were seized in Dublin.

The man, aged in his 50s, was taken into custody and is being detained at Kilmainham garda station.

Gardai said the drugs were found when they carried out searches of a vehicle and a residential property in the south inner city shortly before 5pm on Tuesday.

Some 15kg of heroin with an estimated value of 2.1 million euro, 22kg of cannabis herb with a value of 440,000 euro and cocaine believed to be worth 35,000 euro were seized.

A total of £43,000 in cash (sterling) was recovered along with a hydraulic press, a vacuum packing machine, communication devices and other drug paraphernalia.

The searches were conducted as part of ongoing Garda investigations targeting organised crime. Gardai attached to the national drugs and organised crime bureau and the special crime task force were involved.

Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland said the operation had prevented significant quantities of illicit drugs from being trafficked at street level.