HEROIN, WORTH €12.3m, was seized at Rosslare Port yesterday hidden inside the body work of a cherry picker arriving into Ireland. 

A spokesperson for Revenue said the seizure was part of an intelligence led operation which also involved members of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau GNDOCB.

Using two detector dogs, Sam and Flynn, the officers targeted a rear compartment on the low loader and found the drugs hidden inside. 

The heroin was found inside a compartment of a cherry picker. Revenue Revenue

“Revenue officers at Rosslare Europort detected and seized approximately 88kgs of a product, which based on preliminary analysis is believed to be heroin. The estimated street value of the seizure is €12.3 million.

“The illegal drugs were discovered when a truck and low-loader trailer, arriving into Ireland from mainland Europe, was stopped and searched by Revenue officers.

“The search was carried out with the assistance of Revenue’s mobile x-ray scanner and detector dogs Sam and Flynn. The product was discovered concealed in machinery being carried on the low-loader.

“Investigations are ongoing with the assistance of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and in collaboration with international law enforcement partners,” a spokesperson said. 

It is the latest seizure of drugs, cigarettes and other smuggled contraband at Irish ports this week with €100,000 of drugs found in the Dublin Mail Centre and Dublin Port.