One MILLION tabs nabbed following garda raids on businesses tackling 'street level' drug supply

Gardaí made two arrests and seized approximately almost €2 million in illegal drugs on Friday, following a number of searches across Dublin.

€1.976 million of illegal tablets were recovered by Gardaí in these searches, as part of 'Operation Citizen'.

As part of the operation, the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT) with the assistance of other DMR Regional Units conducted a planned operation targeting the main supply line of illegal tablets into Dublin City Centre.

The first part of this operation involved the stop and search of a car in the South Dublin area. Over 10,000 Zopiclone and Alprazolam tablets (valued at €20,000) were recovered from the vehicle.

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A number of planned searches were then carried out across the Dublin city, with a search of a business premises in South Dublin recovering approximately 965,000 Zopiclone and Alprazolam tablets (subject to analysis) valued at approximately €1.93 million.

A further search of a premises in Dublin City Centre recovered over 13,000 Zopiclone and Alprazolam tablets valued at over €26,000.

Two further of searches in Dublin West and South recovered approximately €4,500 cash and evidence relating to the trafficking of drugs across the DMR.

The total value of the drugs recovered is €1,976,000 according to Gardaí.

Two men, aged in their 50s and 30s, have been arrested and are currently being held at separate Garda Stations in the city.

The man in his 30s has been charged and is due to appear in court on Saturday evening.

Commenting on the drug seizure and the impact the sale of illegal tablets have on the City Centre, Chief Superintendent Patrick McMenamin said the significant seizure was made "as part of ongoing investigations to tackle street level sale and supply of drugs in Dublin City centre, and was made as part of Operation Citizen".

"This investigation has disrupted a major supply line of drugs into the City Centre, and demonstrates An Garda Síochána’s commitment to keeping people safe and disrupting the criminal activities of those who cause harm and inflict misery in our communities,” McMenamin added.

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