THE public appears to have been "seriously misled" about the "seizure of £130 million worth of cannabis at Urlingford, Co Kilkenny last November, according to the Progressive Democrats.
Ms Liz O'Donnell TD, the party's justice spokeswoman, is to challenge the Government's position on the operation in the Dail today, during debate on the Government's Drug Trafficking Bill.
Ms O'Donnell said last night that the Urlingford operation praises very serious questions for the Government" and that its legality was in question.
The cannabis was imported at Castletownbere, Co Cork, and taken by lorry to Urlingford, where it was parked at the side of the road to Dublin. Later gardai opened the container and displayed the drugs to the media.
They said they had kept the drugs under surveillance as they entered the State and had foiled an operation set up by criminal gangs.
They said criminals had not come to collect the drugs because they had been alerted to the danger by "leaks to the media".
However, no one has been charged in connection with the importation, and the drugs have been destroyed. The Minister for Justice, Ms Owen, and the Garda authorities have declined to comment on whether the operation was organised by the gardai and was a "sting" aimed at some of the State's major criminal figures.
Ms O'Donnell said she had basked the Minister about the operation last week. The Minister had replied that the Garda had told her "the disclosure of information concerning any operational matters would be contrary to established practice, and could prejudice investigations and possible court proceedings".
Ms O'Donnell was then briefed on the operation by a senior garda at the weekend. Following the briefing, she said: "I remain of the opinion that there are grounds to believe that the public was seriously misled over a prolonged period of time as to the nature of the operation, its motivation and its outcome."
A man was detained after cannabis resin with a street value of about £50,000 was seized at Dublin Airport last night, the Customs Service said.
The 31 year old man, a Spaniard, Was allegedly found to have five kilos of the drug in 20 packets strapped to his body.
The man, who had come in on a flight from Barcelona, gave and address in Dingle, Co Kerry, the Customs said.