Portlaoise arrest follows seizure of €187,000 suspected drugs haul

Gardaí­ have arrested a man in Portlaoise, Co Laois, after seizing an estimated €187,000 worth of suspected drugs during a search operation on Saturday.

Investigating officers conducted a search under warrant at an address in the town at 3pm today. During this search they uncovered approximately 9kg of suspected cannabis herb with an estimated street value of €181,000.

A quantity of suspected cocaine was also seized with an estimated street value of €6,000 in addition to €2,735, a small quantity of LSD and a weighing scales.

A man in his 40s was arrested at the scene and taken to Portlaoise Garda station where he is being held under the Criminal Justice Act.

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Investigations are ongoing.

Salthill stop and search

Meanwhile, gardaí in Salthill, Co Galway, have seized €26,000 in cash and €5,000 worth of suspected drugs during a stop-and-search operation on Friday evening.

Officers on patrol in the village at 9.30pm searched a man in his late teens. During the search gardaí seized €250 of suspected cannabis herb concealed in his clothing.

During inquiries into this seizure they also stopped and searched two more people, a man and woman both in their late teens. The woman had €26,000 in cash and a quantity of suspected cannabis herb. The man was found to be in possession of a small quantity of cash and suspected cannabis herb.

All three were arrested and taken to Galway Garda station where they are being detained under the Criminal Justice Act.

Following the arrests, investigating officers obtained a search warrant for a home in Salthill. During that search gardaí discovered suspected cannabis herb valued at €2,800, suspected cocaine valued at €1,300 and a small quantity of cash. The combined value of narcotics seized is €5,000.

All narcotics are subject to analysis.