Thursday 5 November 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. 30056Possession of drugs (cannabis); drug trafficking · Co. Cork · 15 Sep 2021

Two men appear in court over cannabis seized on Midleton bus

Two men in their early 30s were arrested on 15 September 2021 after the Midleton District Drug Unit stopped a public bus at a checkpoint on Youghal Road, Midleton, and seized cannabis herb with a street value of €35,000. A follow-up search by the Waterford Drug Unit at a residence in Waterford recovered a further €7,500 of cannabis, bringing the total to approximately €42,500. The men were taken to Midleton Garda station and detained under the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. They were charged and appeared before Midleton District Court on 16 September 2021. Investigations remain ongoing as part of Operation Tara, which targets the transportation of controlled drugs via public transport.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested15 Sep
    4 reports
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court15 Sep
    2 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Cannabis herb with a street value of €35,000 was seized from a public bus, and a further €7,500 was seized at a residence in Waterford, for a total of approximately €42,500.
Where
The checkpoint and seizure took place on Youghal Road, Midleton, County Cork.
When
The seizure took place on Wednesday 15 September 2021.
Investigation
  • The Midleton District Drug Unit carried out the checkpoint as part of Operation Tara, targeting the transportation of controlled drugs into Midleton via public transport.
  • A search was conducted under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977/84, and the men were detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.
  • A follow-up search by the Waterford Drug Unit seized €7,500 of cannabis herb at a residence in Waterford.
Charges
Two men in their early 30s were arrested at the scene and charged.
In court
The two men appeared before Midleton District Court on 16 September 2021.
Other details
  • All drugs seized will be sent for analysis.
  • Investigations remain ongoing.
52 statements extracted from the articles
  • what€42,500 worth of cannabis herb was seized. (garda.ie)
  • whatCannabis herb with a street value of €35,000 was seized at the bus checkpoint (rte.ie)
  • whatTwo men in their 30s were arrested at the scene (rte.ie)
  • whatA follow-up search by the Waterford Drug Unit seized €7,500 of cannabis herb at a residence in Waterford (rte.ie, irishtimes.com, corkbeo.ie)
  • whatTwo men were arrested and approximately €42,500 worth of cannabis herb was seized (irishtimes.com)
  • whatCannabis herb with a street value of €35,000 was discovered on the bus (irishtimes.com)
  • whatTwo men in their early thirties were arrested at the scene (irishtimes.com)
  • whatCannabis herb with a street value of €35,000 was seized from the bus (irishmirror.ie, corkbeo.ie)
  • whatA further €7,500 worth of cannabis was seized at a residence in Waterford (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe total street value of cannabis seized was approximately €42,500 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatGardaí found €42,500 worth of cannabis herb (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatThe Midleton District Drug Unit carried out a checkpoint and stopped a public bus (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatA Garda spokesperson said cannabis herb with a street value of €35,000 was seized at the bus (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatTwo men, both in their early 30s, were arrested at the scene (corkbeo.ie)
  • what€7,500 of cannabis herb was seized at a residence in Waterford (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatTwo men in their early 30s were arrested (corkbeo.ie)
  • what€42,500 worth of cannabis herb was seized in Midleton (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatThe two men were taken to Midleton Garda station (corkbeo.ie)
  • whereThe seizure occurred on Youghal Road, Midleton. (garda.ie)
  • whereThe Midleton District Drug Unit carried out a checkpoint on Youghal Road and stopped a public bus (rte.ie)
  • whereThe seizure took place on Youghal Road, Midleton (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe bus was stopped on Youghal Road, Midleton, County Cork (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe search operation took place on Youghal Road, Midleton (corkbeo.ie)
  • whereThe men were taken to Midleton Garda station (corkbeo.ie)
  • whereThe men were stopped on a bus in East Cork (corkbeo.ie)
  • whenThe seizure took place on Wednesday afternoon 15 September 2021. (garda.ie)
  • whenThe checkpoint took place on Wednesday 15 September 2021 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe arrest was carried out as part of Operation Tara. (garda.ie)
  • investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (garda.ie, irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationOperation Tara targets the transportation of controlled drugs into Midleton via public transport (rte.ie)
  • investigationAll the drugs will be sent for analysis (rte.ie)
  • investigationThe operation was part of Operation Tara targeting the transportation of controlled drugs via public transport (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe Midleton District Drug Unit stopped a public bus at a checkpoint on Youghal Road (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationDetectives conducted a search under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977/84 (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe men were taken to Midleton Garda station and detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationAll drugs seized will be sent for analysis (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationThe search was conducted under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977/84 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe two men were detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe Midleton District Drug Unit carried out the checkpoint (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe operation was part of Operation Tara (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationA search was conducted under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationThe men are detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationA follow-up search was carried out by members of the Waterford Drug Unit (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationThe operation targets the use of public transport services to ferry drugs around East Cork (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationThe arrest was part of an ongoing investigation targeting the use of public transport to ferry drugs around East Cork (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationMidleton District Drug Unit carried out a checkpoint on Youghal Road and stopped a public bus (corkbeo.ie)
  • chargeBoth men were charged. (garda.ie)
  • courtThe two men appeared before Midleton District Court. (garda.ie)
  • courtThe two men were charged and appeared before Midleton District Court (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherThe total value of cannabis seized was approximately €42,500 (rte.ie)
  • otherThe checkpoint was carried out as part of Operation Tara (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe operation targeted the transportation of controlled drugs into Midleton via public transport (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 16 Sep2021
    In courtcorkbeo.ie, follow-up
    Two men appear in court after Gardai seize €42,500 of cannabis herb

    Initial report of the arrest, charging and court appearance following the seizure of €42,500 worth of cannabis from a public bus in Midleton and a follow-up search in Waterford.

    suspect, early 30s, malesuspect, early 30s, male
  2. 16 Sep2021
    Arrestedcorkbeo.ie, its first report
    Gardai stop Cork bus and seize €35k of drugs as 2 arrested

    Adds detail about the follow-up search by the Waterford Drug Unit at a residence in Waterford where €7,500 worth of cannabis was seized, confirms the search was conducted under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, and notes the men are detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act.

    suspect, early 30s, malesuspect, early 30s, male
  3. 15 Sep2021
    Arrestedirishmirror.ie, its first report
    Gardai discover €42k worth of cannabis after stopping bus at checkpoint

    Initial report of the arrest and seizure, detailing the Operation Tara checkpoint, the legal basis for the search, and the follow-up search in Waterford.

    suspect, early 30s, malesuspect, early 30s, male
  4. 15 Sep2021
    Arrestedirishtimes.com, its first report
    Two men arrested after cannabis seized on public bus

    Initial arrest report for the same incident as case 30056, providing details of the Midleton District Drug Unit checkpoint, the Section 23 search, the men's detention under the Drug Trafficking Act, and the follow-up Waterford Drug Unit search.

    suspect, early 30s, malesuspect, early 30s, male
  5. 15 Sep2021
    Arrestedrte.ie, its first report
    Gardaí seize cannabis worth €42,500 and arrest two men

    Original report of the arrest and seizure; details the Operation Tara checkpoint on a public bus and a follow-up search by the Waterford Drug Unit at a residence in Waterford.

    suspect, 30s, malesuspect, 30s, male
  6. 15 Sep2021
    In courtgarda.ie, first report
    Court Appearance Operation Tara, Cannabis herb €42,500 seized in Midleton. 15th September, 2021.

    Confirms the two men were charged and appeared before Midleton District Court on 16 September 2021; investigations remain ongoing.

    suspect, early 30s, malesuspect, early 30s, male