THE latest drugs find by Gardaí at the weekend – almost €76,000 worth of mainly cannabis and cocaine – brings to close on €1.8 million, the value of Illegal substances seized in the county over the past eight months.

Members of the Galway Garda Divisional Drugs Unit – aided by local officers – searched two residences in Oranmore and Loughrea last Saturday resulting in the arrest of two people.

The search of the residence in Oranmore on Saturday evening led to the discovery of approximately €70,000 worth of drugs which included cocaine, cannabis herb, MDMA, ketamine and LSD.

In a separate search at a house in the Loughrea area also on Saturday evening, Gardaí seized €6,000 worth of illegal drugs – both finds have been sent to Dublin for laboratory analysis by Forensic Science Ireland.

Garda sources estimate the total value of drugs seized across Galway city and county over the past eight months to be close on €1.8 million – with cocaine and cannabis the ‘big two’ in terms of value.

Detective Superintendent Shane Cummins told the Galway City Tribune that the Garda campaign to tackle the sale and supply of illegal drugs across the city and county would be stepped up even more over the coming weeks and months.

“The assignment of extra Garda personnel to the Divisional Drugs Unit will further strengthen our team to tackle the problem of illegal drug trafficking in Galway.

“Significant drugs finds have been made over the past year in the city and county and we expect more to follow as our campaign continues and intensifies,” said Det Supt Cummins.

At this month’s meeting of the County Galway Joint Policing Committee, Chief Superintendent Gerry Roche outlined major increases in the Divisional Drugs Unit personnel with a sergeant and seven extra Gardaí being added to the team.

In relation to last Saturday’s seizures, Chief Supt Roche told the Galway City Tribune that the latest seizures once again highlighted the determination of the Gardaí to tackle organised crime and drug dealing around the county.

“The sale and supply of illegal drugs is a major issue across Galway and indeed the entire country. The extra resources now allocated will help us to step up even further our strategy to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug traffickers,” said Chief Supt Roche

Gardaí questioned two men at Garda HQ in Renmore – one in his 30s and the other in his 40s.

They were questioned under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, before being released without charge. Files are being prepared for forwarding to the DPP with court appearances expected to follow.

Garda raids on houses in the East Galway and Ballinasloe area on the last weekend of January led to the seizure of over €200,000 worth of cannabis plants and herbs.

Two men are due to appear before the courts in the coming weeks in relation to those drugs seizures.

One of the biggest ever drugs’ finds by Gardaí in Galway was in early December, 2022, when close on €1 million worth of cannabis plants were found at a growhouse in the Kilcolgan area in a semi-industrial unit.