The head of the Garda National Drugs Unit denied yesterday that gardai were forced to move early to seize half a £4.2 million drugs haul in Co Tipperary at the weekend.Chief Supt Kevin Carty said the seizure was the result of a five-month operation and he was "disappointed" at the speculation. "Everything was planned and it went according to our plan," he told a news conference in Dublin, where the haul of 410kg of cannabis resin and 10kg of skunk, a stronger form of cannabis, was put on display. The blocks of resin had been hidden in flat cardboard boxes, marked girls' coats.Supt Carty said the haul was part of the same operation in which gardai seized drugs in Cork last week. He said gardai were satisfied that they had seized the full consignment. The drugs were destined for the Munster area.Asked whether this indicated a growing problem in the area he said the haul showed there was a big market for cannabis.
"Cannabis is and always has been a gateway drug," he said. "It's very disheartening when we hear people talking about legalising cannabis."