Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6012Drug trafficking · Co. Laois

Two arrested after over €200k cash and drugs seized in Laois searches

Follow-up searches in Co Laois on Wednesday 24 April 2024 were linked to the Meath operation of 23 April 2024, which recovered €2.4 million of cannabis. The searches seized over €200,000 in cash, €140,000 of suspected cannabis, €10,000 of suspected MDMA tablets, counterfeit prescription tablets and a pill press. A man in his 50s and a woman in her 40s were arrested and detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at a Garda station in Co Laois, as reported on 25 April 2024. The latest development, reported on 26 April 2024, is that investigations are ongoing and the seized items are being sent to Forensic Science Ireland for examination.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested23 Apr
    2 reports
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Gardaí seized over €200,000 in cash during the searches.
  • Gardaí seized €140,000 of suspected cannabis, €10,000 of suspected MDMA tablets and a substantial amount of counterfeit prescription tablets.
  • A sophisticated illicit pill-making facility, including a pill press, was seized.
Where
The searches took place in Co Laois.
When
The searches took place on Wednesday 24 April 2024.
Cause
The searches were follow-up searches to the Meath operation of 23 April 2024, which recovered €2.4 million of cannabis by Revenue Customs Officers.
Investigation
  • A man in his 50s and a woman in her 40s were arrested.
  • The Garda statement describes the woman as in her 40s, while the Irish Mirror report says 'his 40s'.
  • Both were detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at a Garda station in Co Laois.
  • Items of evidential value will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for examination.
  • Investigations into the arrests and seizures are ongoing.
Other details
The two men arrested in connection with the Meath cannabis seizure remain in custody at a Garda station in Co Meath.
22 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatGardaí seized €200,000 cash and a substantial amount of controlled drugs. (garda.ie)
  • whatThe Meath operation recovered €2.4 million of cannabis. (garda.ie)
  • whatOver €200,000 in cash was seized. (garda.ie)
  • what€140,000 of suspected cannabis was seized. (garda.ie)
  • what€10,000 of suspected MDMA tablets was seized. (garda.ie)
  • whatA substantial amount of counterfeit prescription tablets was seized. (garda.ie)
  • whatA pill making facility, including a pill press, was seized. (garda.ie)
  • whatGardaí seized cash in excess of €200,000, suspected cannabis, suspected MDMA tablets and counterfeit prescription tablets. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA sophisticated illicit pill-making facility, including a pill press, was seized. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe searches were in Co Laois. (garda.ie)
  • whereThe searches took place in Laois. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe searches took place on Wednesday 24 April 2024. (garda.ie)
  • whenThe searches took place on Wednesday. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeThe searches were follow-up searches to the Meath operation of 23 April 2024. (garda.ie)
  • investigationItems of evidential value will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland. (garda.ie)
  • investigationA man in his 50s and a woman in her 40s were arrested. (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationBoth were detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at a Garda station in Co Laois. (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe searches were follow-up searches to a Meath operation. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationInvestigations into the arrests and seizures are ongoing. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationSeized items will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for examination. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe two men arrested over the Meath cannabis seizure remain in custody in Co Meath. (garda.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 26 Apr2024
    Arrestedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Two arrested as over €200k cash, cannabis, MDMA tablets seized in searches

    Reports arrests of a man in his 50s and a woman in his 40s in Laois follow-up searches, with cash, cannabis, MDMA, counterfeit tablets and a pill-making facility seized. Links the searches to the Meath cannabis operation.

    suspect, 50s, malesuspect, 40s, female
  2. 23 Apr2024
    Arrestedgarda.ie, follow-up
    Update - Follow Up Arrests and Seizures, GNDOCB & Revenue Joint Operation - €2,400,000 Cannabis Seized, Co Meath, 23rd April 2024

    Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau press update. Adds the itemised seizure (cash over €200,000, €140,000 suspected cannabis, €10,000 MDMA tablets, counterfeit prescription tablets, pill press), confirms the arrests and detention in Laois, and says items will go to Forensic Science Ireland. It links the searches to the €2.4m cannabis seizure in Co Meath on 23 April 2024, and notes that the two men arrested in Meath remain in custody there.

    suspect, 50s, malesuspect, 40s, female