Gardaí seize suspected drugs worth €52,000 in South-East Clare 

Gardaí have seized more than €50,000 worth of suspected cannabis in East Clare under Operation Tara following two separate searches on Thursday.

Shortly before 4pm on Thursday, Killaloe Gardai assisted by members of the Clare Divisional Drugs Unit carried out a search of a premises at O’Brien’s Bridge.

Suspected cannabis herb with an estimated street value in excess of €45,000 was seized.

A man in his late twenties was arrested at the scene, and was subsequently detained at Ennis Garda Station under Section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act, 1996.

He has since been charged in connection with this seizure and will appear before a special sitting of Ennis District Court on Friday at 6pm.

Meanwhile, shortly after 6.30pm Gardaí conducted a separate search operation at a house in Bridgetown, in South-East Clare. A quantity of suspected cannabis herb estimated to be worth approximately €7,000 was seized at this location.

No arrests have been made in relation to this seizure, but investigating Gardaí are following a definite line of enquiry.

The drugs seized are subject to forensic analysis.

These seizures forms part of Operation Tara an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy, which was launched by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris on July 2. The focus of Operation Tara is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels – international, national, local – involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of controlled drugs.