Garda raid on Cork halting site nets drugs, weapons and 13 animals

Sixty gardaí searched a halting site in Mahon, Cork, seizing heroin, crack cocaine, machetes and swords. A man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of drug dealing.

Drugs, weapons and animals seized in major Cork city halting site operation

Sixty gardaí raided a halting site in the Mahon area of Cork city on Wednesday morning, arresting a man in his 20s on suspicion of drug dealing and seizing heroin, crack cocaine, an array of weapons and quantities of cash, the Irish Times reports.

The operation, which began at 8.45am and ran for close to four hours, involved uniformed officers, detectives, divisional search teams and members of the Armed Support Unit. Among the items recovered were slash hooks, hammers, baseball bats, machetes, swords and slingshots, along with €6,000 in cash believed to be the proceeds of crime, approximately €1,000 worth of heroin and €600 worth of crack cocaine.

Several electric scramblers and e-scooters, which gardaí believe were used to make drug deliveries, were also taken. Two caravans were confiscated for further examination on suspicion they had been stolen.

Revenue Commissioners officials attended the scene to carry out checks for green diesel. Inspectors from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals were also present and removed 12 dogs, one horse and one pony on the grounds that the animals were being neglected and required veterinary care.

The arrested man was taken to Bridewell Garda station, where he is being held under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which permits gardaí to detain suspects for up to 24 hours before they must be charged or released.

Source: Irish Times