Arrests follow Temple Bar seizure of cocaine valued at €60,000

Gardaí arrested seven men and a juvenile and seized cocaine valued at €60,000 after an operation targeting drug dealing in the Temple Bar area of Dublin’s south inner city.

One of those arrested is a man in his 20s who has in recent years become a major target for the Garda tackling drug dealing and gangland crime in north Dublin. His arrest in the early hours of Monday, by the Street Crime Unit from Pearse Street station, was regarded as significant.

Detectives also seized a quantity of packaging for wrapping consignments of drugs. Mobile phones seized from the suspects were being analysed as part of the ongoing investigation.

The Garda team, acting on intelligence relating to drug dealing in the area, moved in on their targets in the early hours of Monday morning and made the arrests after two apartments were searched.

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It is understood when gardaí patrolling the area saw what they regard as suspicious activity in Temple Bar an operation was put in place and one apartment was searched at about 2.30am. Gardaí then carried out a follow-up search at another apartment and gardaí suspect both properties were being rented on a short-term rolling basis.

The suspects are part of a well disciplined group of criminals comprised of men from the inner city and also from Finglas, north Dublin.