Saturday 31 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. 20580Drugs offence (possession; cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy seizure) · Co. Galway · 23 Jun 2023

Two men arrested in Oranmore and Galway City drug raids

On Friday 23 June 2023, Gardaí from the Galway Divisional Drug Unit searched a residence in the Oranmore area at about 11pm and, in a follow-up search at a business premises in Galway City, seized suspected drugs totalling €24,400 as part of Operation Tara. A man in his late teens and a man in his 40s were arrested and detained at a Garda station in Galway under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. Both men were released without charge, and as of the latest reports a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions while the seized drugs are sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested23 Jun
    3 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 suspected cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy totalling €24,400, reported as over €24,000, in searches in County Galway.
  • At the Oranmore residence, Gardaí seized suspected cocaine worth €5,400 and suspected cannabis worth €1,000; one report gives the cocaine as over €5,000.
  • At a business premises in Galway City, Gardaí seized suspected cannabis worth €17,000 and about €1,000 of suspected ecstasy tablets.
Where
The first search was of a residence in the Oranmore area, and the follow-up search was at a business premises in Galway City.
When
The searches took place on Friday 23 June 2023, with the Oranmore search at about 11pm.
Investigation
  • The searches were carried out by the Galway Divisional Drug Unit as part of Operation Tara in County Galway.
  • A man in his late teens and a man in his 40s were arrested as part of the investigation and detained at a Garda station in Galway under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
  • All the seized drugs are being sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis.
Charges
Both men were released without charge.
Other details
  • A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
  • Reports of the searches and arrests were published on 24 and 25 June 2023.
26 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatGardaí seized over €24,000 worth of suspected cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy in searches in County Galway. (garda.ie)
  • whatSuspected cocaine worth €5,400 and suspected cannabis worth €1,000 were seized at the Oranmore residence. (garda.ie)
  • whatSuspected cannabis worth €17,000 and about €1,000 of suspected ecstasy tablets were seized at the Galway City premises. (garda.ie, galwaybeo.ie)
  • whatGardaí seized drugs worth over €24,000 during searches as part of Operation Tara in Galway. (galwaybeo.ie)
  • whatSuspected cocaine worth €5,400 and suspected cannabis worth €1,000 were seized in Oranmore. (galwaybeo.ie)
  • whatAt the Oranmore home, Gardaí found suspected cocaine worth €5,400 and suspected cannabis worth €1,000. (galwaydaily.com)
  • whatAt a business premises in Galway city, Gardaí seized suspected cannabis worth €17,000 and about €1,000 of suspected ecstasy tablets. (galwaydaily.com)
  • whereThe residence searched was in the Oranmore area. (garda.ie)
  • whereA follow-up search was carried out at a business premises in Galway city. (garda.ie, galwaybeo.ie)
  • whereGardaí from the Galway Divisional Drug Unit searched a residence in Oranmore at about 11pm. (galwaybeo.ie)
  • whereTwo men were arrested after drug raids on a home and business in Oranmore and Galway City. (galwaydaily.com)
  • whenGardaí from the Galway Divisional Drug Unit searched a residence at approximately 11pm. (garda.ie)
  • whenThe searches were carried out on Friday 23 June 2023. (galwaybeo.ie)
  • whenGardaí raided a home in the Oranmore area on Friday night at around 11pm. (galwaydaily.com)
  • investigationAll the seized drugs, totalling €24,400, are being sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis. (garda.ie)
  • investigationA man in his late teens and a man in his 40s were arrested as part of the investigation. (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe two men were detained at a Garda station in Galway under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. (garda.ie)
  • investigationBoth men have since been released without charge. (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe seized drugs, totalling €24,400, will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis. (galwaybeo.ie)
  • investigationGardaí seized over €24,000 worth of cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy during searches under Operation Tara in County Galway. (galwaydaily.com)
  • investigationA man in his late teens and a man in his 40s were arrested and detained at a Garda station in Galway. (galwaydaily.com)
  • otherA file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. (garda.ie)
  • otherA man in his late teens and a man in his 40s were arrested and detained at a Garda station in Galway under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. (galwaybeo.ie)
  • otherBoth men were released without charge and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. (galwaybeo.ie)
  • otherBoth men were released without charge, and a file is being prepared for the DPP. (galwaydaily.com)
  • otherAll the seized drugs, totalling €24,400, will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis. (galwaydaily.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 25 Jun2023
    Arrestedgalwaydaily.com, first report
    Two men arrested in back to back drug raids - Galway Daily

    Reports the two linked raids in Oranmore and Galway City, the arrests of a man in his late teens and a man in his 40s, and their release without charge. A file is being prepared for the DPP.

    suspect, late teens, malesuspect, 40s, male
  2. 24 Jun2023
    Arrestedgalwaybeo.ie, follow-up
    Galway gardai surround popular business arresting boy as photo shows drug sting

    Reports the Operation Tara searches in Oranmore and Galway city, the drugs seized, the two arrests, and that the men were released without charge and a file is being prepared for the DPP.

    suspect, late teens, malesuspect, 40s, male
  3. 23 Jun2023
    Arrestedgarda.ie, follow-up
    Operation Tara - Over €24,000 Worth of Drugs Seized, Two Males Arrested, County Galway, Friday 23rd June 2023

    Adds that both men were released without charge and a file is being prepared for the DPP. Itemises the seized drugs (cocaine €5,400, cannabis €1,000 in Oranmore; cannabis €17,000 and ecstasy €1,000 in Galway City) and says they are being sent to Forensic Science Ireland.

    suspect, late teens, malesuspect, 40s, male