Barry Roche, Southern Correspondent
Gardaí in Limerick and Cork have recovered over €35,000 worth of drugs and arrested two suspects for questioning in separate and unrelated drug operations on Wednesday afternoon.
Officers from the Limerick Divisional Drugs Unit arrested a man in his late 20s when, backed up by members of the Armed Support Unit, they searched two houses at Leila Street near the city centre.
During the search of the first house gardaí recovered €25,000 worth of suspected heroin which has been sent to the Forensic Science Ireland laboratory for analysis.
They arrested a man at the house under drugs trafficking legislation which allows gardaí detain suspects for up to seven days. The man is currently being questioned at Henry Street Garda station in the city.
No arrests or seizures were made at the second house in Leila Street, which is a vacant property, but gardaí have said the seizure was an important blow to heroin dealing in the city.
Meanwhile, in a separate and unrelated operation, gardaí in North Cork arrested a teenager for questioning following the seizure of €10,000 worth of cannabis herb.
Officers from the Fermoy District Drugs Squad mounted a surveillance operation on Wednesday afternoon and arrested the 19-year-old man when they stopped and searched a car in the Castlelyons area at around 2pm.
The suspect, who is from the greater Fermoy area, was arrested for questioning and taken to Fermoy Garda station where he is being held under drugs trafficking legislation.
The teenager can be held for up to seven days. His car was also seized and brought to Fermoy for a forensic examination by garda technical experts while the drugs have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis.
Gardaí believe the cannabis herb was destined for distribution and sale in the greater Fermoy area. and have hailed the seizure as a blow against drug dealing in the locality.
