Gardaí have put a massive haul of cannabis resin, worth an estimated €37.5 millio, on display at Dublin Port.
The 1,873kg haul, one of the biggest consignments of drugs ever found in the Republic was destined for the domestic market, Revenue and the Garda believe.
It was seized in a joint Revenue and Garda operation at Dublin Port.
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The size of the haul suggests it was shipped to Ireland by a supplier dealing with a coalition of drugs gangs from across the State rather than one group here. The origins of the cannabis are still being investigated.
It is not unusual for a number of criminal gangs to work together to pool their money and maximise their mark-up by buying in bulk and getting the cheapest wholesale price possible.
The consignment found on Friday had entered the Dublin Port in three crates.
The contents of the crates were disguised as machinery parts and packed with the drugs hidden inside.
Speaking at Dublin Port on Saturday, Assistant Garda Commissioner John O'Driscoll said: "The best results are achieved when the relevant state agencies work together and in this particular case we have revenue and an Garda Síochána combined expertise brought to bear and ensured the drugs found did not enter the market."
He said the seizure is a a “significant result” in tackling organised crime he said the Garda, working with the Criminal Assets Bureau, seized 18 cars in recent days.
“The effort to address organised crime is unrelenting and it is comprehensive and this is what has resulted in this seizure today,” he said.
“The investigation which is under way will reveal that but we’re aware that organised crimes have an international dimension and in many cases the prospect that it would be for a wider international market is being explored,” he said.
“We’re working on clearly having found a needle in a haystack; as in the one container in the thousands in Dublin Port have been identified.
“That’s clear evidence we’re on a definite line of inquiry and those inquiries have a significant international dimension and may well result in further achievements in terms of arrests or identifying people at an international level who have an involvement in this process.”
Liam Irwin of the Revenue Commissioners said the size of Friday’s seizure “is more than the entire cannabis seizures for 2015 and 2016.”
Mr Irwin said once the drugs have gone for analysis, they may be used for evidence and then destroyed.
Mr Irwin said over 10,0000 containers arrive a week into Dublin Port and that the drugs were concealed in tractor parts.
