Man in 40s charged over €117,600 cannabis seizure in Ballymakeera, Co Cork
On 8 June 2026, gardaí uncovered a sophisticated cannabis grow house at a domestic residence in the Ballymakeera area of Co. Cork during a search under Operation Tara. They seized 122 suspected mature cannabis plants and approximately 1 kilogram of loose cannabis material, with a combined estimated value of €117,600, along with drug paraphernalia. A man in his 40s was arrested and detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. He was subsequently charged with possession of controlled drugs and appeared before Mallow District Court on 9 June 2026. Investigations are ongoing.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested8 Jun
2 reports - Charged9 Jun
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Gardaí uncovered a sophisticated cannabis grow house at a domestic residence in the Ballymakeera area of Co. Cork.
- 122 suspected mature cannabis plants (estimated value €97,600 per garda.ie, €97,000 per Irish Times) and approximately 1 kilogram of suspected loose cannabis material (estimated value €20,000) were seized, along with drug paraphernalia.
- Where
- The search took place at a domestic residence in the Ballymakeera area of Co. Cork.
- When
- The search took place on Monday 8 June 2026.
- Investigation
- The search was conducted as part of Operation Tara, an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy launched by the Garda Commissioner in July 2021, targeting the sale and supply of controlled drugs and organised crime.
- The search was conducted by the Cork North West Divisional Drugs Unit accompanied by the Cork South West Divisional Drugs Unit.
- A man in his 40s was arrested and detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at a Garda Station in the Southern Region.
- The seized substances were to be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis.
- Charges
- The man was charged with possession of controlled drugs.
- In court
- The man appeared before Mallow District Court on 9 June 2026.
- Other details
- Investigations were ongoing at the time of the latest report.
30 statements extracted from the articles
- whatGardaí uncovered a sophisticated cannabis grow house. (garda.ie)
- what122 suspected mature cannabis plants with an estimated value of €97,600 were seized. (garda.ie)
- whatApproximately 1 kilogram of suspected loose cannabis material with an estimated value of €20,000 was seized. (garda.ie)
- whatDrug paraphernalia was also seized. (garda.ie)
- whatDrugs to the value of more than €100,000 were seized in Co Cork on Monday (irishtimes.com)
- whatA sophisticated cannabis grow house was uncovered during the search (irishtimes.com)
- what122 suspected mature cannabis plants with an estimated value of €97,000 were seized (irishtimes.com)
- whatApproximately one kilogram of suspected loose cannabis material with an estimated value of €20,000 was seized (irishtimes.com)
- whatDrug paraphernalia was also seized during the search (irishtimes.com)
- what€117,600 worth of cannabis was seized (garda.ie)
- whereThe search was of a domestic residence in the Ballymakeera area of Co. Cork. (garda.ie)
- whereThe search was carried out in the Ballymakeera area of Co Cork (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe seizure took place in Ballymakeera, Co. Cork (garda.ie)
- whenThe search took place on Monday 8 June 2026. (garda.ie)
- whenThe seizure occurred on 8 June 2026 (garda.ie)
- investigationThe search was conducted as part of Operation Tara targeting the sale and supply of controlled drugs and organised crime. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe search was conducted by the Cork North West Divisional Drugs Unit accompanied by the Cork South West Divisional Drugs Unit. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe suspect is detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at a Garda Station in the Southern Region. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe seized substances will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis. (garda.ie, irishtimes.com)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe search was part of Operation Tara targeting the sale and supply of controlled drugs and organised crime (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe Cork North West divisional drugs unit conducted the search accompanied by the Cork South West divisional drugs unit (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe man is detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act (irishtimes.com)
- investigationInvestigations were continuing at the time of the report (irishtimes.com)
- investigationOperation Tara is an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy launched by the Garda Commissioner in July 2021 (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe operation was called Operation Tara (garda.ie)
- investigationAn adult male in his 40s was arrested in connection with the investigation (garda.ie)
- chargeThe man has been charged (garda.ie)
- courtThe man appeared before Mallow District Court (garda.ie)
- otherAn adult male aged in his 40s was arrested. (garda.ie, irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 9 Jun202609/06/2026 Update (1): Operation Tara –Seizure of €117,600 Cannabis, 1 Arrest, Ballymakeera, Co. Cork – 8th June 2026
Update confirming the arrested man has been charged and appeared before Mallow District Court; investigations ongoing.
suspect, 40s, male - 8 Jun2026Man arrested after gardaí seize drugs worth more than €100,000 in Cork
Provides details of the initial arrest and the cannabis grow house discovery, including the specific quantities and values of cannabis seized (122 mature plants worth €97,000 and ~1kg loose cannabis worth €20,000) and the units involved in the search.
suspect, 40s, male - 8 Jun202608/06/2026 Operation Tara –Seizure of €117,600 Cannabis, 1 Arrest, Ballymakeera, Co. Cork – 8th June 2026
Garda press release confirming the arrest and providing details of the cannabis grow house, including 122 mature plants valued at €97,600 and 1kg loose cannabis valued at €20,000, with the suspect detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.
suspect, 40s, male