Man arrested after €1.6 million of cannabis seized in joint operation

A significant seizure of cannabis, valued at approximately €1.6 million, has led to the arrest of a man in his 40s in Co Louth, Ireland. The operation involved multiple agencies, including Revenue Customs Service, the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), and the Organised Crime Unit of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Gardaí reported that the man was arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking after a vehicle was stopped in the Dundalk area. He is currently being held for questioning at a garda station in Co Louth. The seizure of 119 kg of cannabis was part of a coordinated joint operation.

Further investigations led to follow-up searches in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, by the PSNI's Organised Crime Unit. During these searches, an additional 45 kg of cannabis, half a kilogram of cocaine, 22 imitation firearms, and £25,000 in cash were discovered. A man in his 30s was arrested in connection with these findings and is being held by the PSNI.

Authorities from both sides of the border have stated that investigations are ongoing into the drug trafficking operation. The collaboration between Irish and Northern Irish law enforcement agencies highlights efforts to combat organized crime across the region.