Gardaí have arrested one man for questioning about suspected drug dealing and seized quantities of heroin and crack cocaine during an operation at a halting site in Co Cork on Wednesday morning.
Some 60 gardaí were involved in the operation targeting criminal activity in the city, including uniformed officers, detectives, and divisional search teams, backed up by members of the Armed Support Unit at the location in the Mahon area of the city.
Gardaí seized slash hooks, bats and other implements as well as €6,000 in cash, which they believe to be the proceeds of crime, some €1,000 worth of heroin and €600 worth of crack cocaine. Several e-scooters gardaí believe were being used to make drug deliveries were also seized.
They also confiscated two caravans for further examination, which they suspect may have been stolen. Officials from the Revenue Commissioners carried out checks for green diesel during the nearly four-hour-long search operation, which began at 8.45am.
Gardaí were also accompanied in the search of the site by inspectors from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who removed 12 dogs, one horse and one pony whom they believed were being neglected and in need of veterinary treatment.
A man in his 20s was arrested at the scene for suspected drug dealing and taken to the Bridewell, where he has been detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. This allows gardaí to hold suspects for up to 24 hours before they must be charged or released.