GARDAÍ HAVE SEIZED drugs worth more than €2 million and arrested seven men following a number of operations conducted across the Dublin region.

A home in Beaumont was searched yesterday and a number of bottles of wine and champagne were located and seized. Following technical examination it is suspected the seized bottles contain cocaine in liquid form.

The cocaine seized is estimated to have a street value in excess of €150,000.

One man aged in his 20s was arrested at the scene on suspicion of drug trafficking. He has since been charged and is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice tomorrow morning.

In another operation yesterday gardaí intercepted a vehicle travelling on the M50 motorway. The investigation team also searched premises located in Palmerstown and the Dublin 2 area.

Over the course of these searches, they found and seized substances believed to include cannabis, cocaine and heroin, which are now subject of forensic examination.

The estimated street sale value of the drugs seized is in excess of €2 million. A substantial quantity of cash believed to be the proceeds of drug trafficking was also seized.

Gardaí found and seized a number of other items, including equipment used for the purpose of money counting and vacuum packing money and drugs along with communications devices and a substantial quantity of relevant documentation.

Five men aged between their 20s and 40s were arrested on suspicion of involvement in drug trafficking. One of the suspects, a man in his late 20s, has been charged and is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice tomorrow morning.

Another man in his 30s was arrested today in a follow-up operation in the Dublin 2 area. This suspect was also arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking and is currently detained pursuant to drug trafficking legislation at Donnybrook Garda station.

These operations, which targeted drug trafficking networks that operate at an international level, were undertaken by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, supported by a number of other specialised units within the Garda Síochána.

Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll, who is assigned responsibility for heading Garda Síochána initiatives designed to tackle organised and serious crime, said the operations were very significant and reflect exceptional policing skills along with dedication and bravery on the part of the personnel involved.

“Arising from the global aspect of the drug supply networks that deliver drugs to cities and towns in Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK and elsewhere in Europe, the Garda Síochána has forged particularly strong and productive relationships with law enforcement entities in many countries across a number of continents,” he said.

“Again today the Garda Síochána and the people of Ireland reap the benefits of the Garda Síochána’s outreach at a global level.

“Large quantities of drugs have been seized, along with a significant quantity of money suspected to be proceeds of drug trafficking. Persons believed to operate at a significant level within the world of organised crime have been identified and arrested.

“A drug trafficking route has been identified and disrupted and a new method of concealing controlled substances has been identified and exposed.”