Four held over €2.5m Tuam drugs haul

Cannabis worth about €4 million has been seized and six people arrested following two separate operations in Tuam, Co Galway and Kells, Co Meath.

Cannabis plants worth an estimated €2.5 million were seized yesterday and two men were arrested in the Tuam area.

The men, in their mid 40s and early 50s, are being detained at Mill Street Garda station in Galway under provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

Gardaí said two more men in their 30s were arrested last night. They are also being held in Mill Street Garda station

The search uncovered a “sophisticated” cannabis growing operation at a business premises in the Tuam district, a Garda statement said. About 3,000 plants at various stages of growth and growing paraphernalia were seized.

The planned operation under Operation Nitrogen involved the Divisional Drug Unit from Galway, the Regional Support Unit and local gardaí.

Meanwhile, two people were arrested when cannabis worth an estimated €1.5 million was seized during a search in Kells, Co Meath, on Friday night.

Officers from the Kells Garda drug unit, assisted by the Regional Support Unit, searched a business premises in the town and discovered a large cannabis cultivating operation.

A man aged 53 and a 43-year-old woman were arrested at the scene and are being held at Kells Garda station.