Four charged after discovery of major drugs-mixing facility in Dublin
By David Young and Grainne Ni Aodha, PA
Four people have been charged in connection with the discovery of a major drugs-mixing facility in Dublin.
Cocaine with an estimated street value of €2.8 million and thousands of nitrous oxide canisters were seized in a multi-agency garda operation in the capital earlier in the week.
It is understood that gardaí suspect the large haul is connected to the Kinahan organised crime group.
Seven men and one woman were initially arrested by gardaí. Two men were later released without charge and six people remained in custody on Wednesday.
Of those six, three men and one woman have been charged.
They were scheduled to be brought before the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin on Thursday.
The two other men were released without charge, with a file due to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
On Tuesday, gardaí carried out a planned search at a business premises in the Long Mile Road area and two vehicles were intercepted in the Ballyfermot and Blanchardstown areas.
Around 40kg of suspected cocaine, 7,000 canisters of nitric oxide, and €78,000 in cash were seized at what gardai said was a cocaine-mixing facility.
A hydraulic drugs press, 250kg of mixing agent, drug-mixing paraphernalia, a money counter and several communications devices were also seized.
