During a search of a property in Athy, Gardaí recovered cannabis with an estimated street value of approximately €7 million.
Four individuals were arrested at the scene: three males (two in their 30s, one in his 40s) and one female in her 20s. All four are currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at Garda stations in the Eastern Region.
The seized drugs will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis.
A Senior Investigating Officer has been appointed, and an incident room has been established at Carlow Garda Station.
Previous seizure under Operation Tara
Earlier this month, two men were denied bail after Gardaí seized €2,600,000 worth of cocaine in north Dublin.
A full-time employee of Dublin City Council has been denied bail after €2.6 million worth of suspected cocaine was uncovered at his home address and a storage unit.
Full-time employee of Dublin City Council, Robert Murphy (36) of Dunsink Green, Finglas, Dublin 11, appeared before Dublin Metropolitan District Court, charged with six offences contrary to Sections 15 and 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 for the possession of drugs, and possession for sale and supply.
The accused was arrested as part of Garda Operation Tara, an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy, launched by the Garda Commissioner in July 2021.
According to An Garda Síochána, the focus of Operation Tara is to “disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels – international, national, local – involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of controlled drugs.”
A second man, Anthony Naughton (40) of Michans House, Greek Street, Dublin 7, was also charged with offences contrary to Sections 15 and 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 for the possession of drugs, and possession for sale and supply with regard to the same seizure.