Gardai strike twice to disrupt "rave"

IF you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise..

IF you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise ... Or you could be if you're attending a drugs party and aren't expecting uninvited guests.

Such was the experience of 13 people who were arrested by gardai in Co Wicklow at the weekend, following a raid on a "rave" in the Glen of the Downs.

Drugs with an estimated street value of £10,000 were seized in two successive raids in the early hours of Saturday morning.

An estimated 200 people were attending the rave in a derelict building in Bellevue wood, Glen of the Downs, when the first raid took place shortly after midnight on Friday.

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Gardai from Bray, Greystones, Shankill and Dun Laoghaire moved in on the party, and about 1,500 LSD tablets and 100 ecstasy tablets were seized, along with a quantity of cannabis.

Two people were arrested and taken to Shankill Garda station for questioning. They were later released.

Meanwhile, the party had regrouped and moved on. But the Garda team struck again, this time at about 7.30a.m. on Saturday, according to the Garda press office.

Two cars were seized, and 11 people were arrested and taken to Greystones Garda station for questioning.

Another quantity of LSD tablets and cannabis was discovered, and what has been described by gardai as a "sizeable quantity" of cannabis resin in one of the vehicles.

The 11 detained were released, but a file has been prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Charges are anticipated, according to the Garda press office.

Lorna Siggins

Lorna Siggins

Lorna Siggins is the former western and marine correspondent of The Irish Times