Over €2 million in cannabis products seized in Irish vape shop raids; two arrested

Gardaí have arrested two men after seizing a substantial quantity of cannabis-infused jellies and cannabis oil-infused vapes valued at over €2 million. The targeted searches were conducted at five vape shops and two homes across various locations in Ireland, including Castlebar, Co Mayo, Drogheda, Co Louth, Longford, and Carlow, on July 2 and July 8.

During the operations, officers discovered "reefer" cigarettes containing hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The recovered cannabis-infused jellies were described as substantial. Two men, both in their 30s, were arrested in Mayo and Longford. They were detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at garda stations in the midlands.

One of the arrested men has since been released without charge, and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The seized substances will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for detailed analysis. The investigation, operating under the banner of Operation Tarain, involved a collaborative effort between personnel from the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau, the Customs Revenue Service, and Drug Units based in Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Kildare, and Drogheda.

Investigations into the matter are continuing as authorities work to dismantle the network involved in distributing these products. The significant value of the seized drugs highlights the scale of the operation and the ongoing challenges in controlling the distribution of such substances.

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Gardaí described the number of cannabis-infused jellies recovered as substantial