LAST UPDATE | 24 Feb

A 42-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested and over €180,000 has been seized as part of an operation targeting the supply of controlled substances into prisons in the West Dublin area.

As part of these ongoing operations, gardaí from the Drugs Unit in Ronanstown conducted a search of a home in west Dublin yesterday.

During the search, cash in excess of €180,000 in various denominations was seized.

A designer watch valued at €10,000 and several mobile phones were also confiscated.

A 42-year-old man was arrested and is currently detained at a Garda Station in the Dublin Region.

The operation follows a previous seizure involving a drone and a quantity of diamorphine intended for delivery into a west Dublin prison on 12 February.

Drone and diamorphine intended for delivery into a west Dublin prison on 12 February Garda Press Office Garda Press Office

In a statement today, the Irish Prison Service “thanked gardaí for their continued efforts and collaboration with us to keep drugs out of prison”.

A spokesperson said: “The Irish Prison Service is committed to preventing the access of contraband including drugs into prisons and continues to be a high priority for the Irish Prison Service.

“The Irish Prison Service has committed to continuing to invest in new technologies and measures to support our efforts to keep contraband out of prisons.”

They added that prison staff have  increased the use of random and intelligence led cell searches, and that the Canine Unit carries out searches around the prisons, including a greater focus on searching deliveries into prisons.

The Irish Prison Service has also encouraged prisoners, visitors, staff or members of the public with information on the trafficking of prohibited items into prisons to pass it on the free confidential telephone line (1800 855 717) or text line (086 180 2449).