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. 1767Possession of controlled drugs (cocaine, cannabis) · Co. Louth · 28 Apr 2025

Two men remanded after €400k drugs seized in Co Louth

On 28 April 2025, Gardaí stopped a van in Ardee, County Louth, shortly after 11pm and recovered cocaine valued at over €200,000, arresting the driver, a man in his 40s. In a follow-up search of a residential property in Ardee in the early hours of 29 April, Gardaí recovered a suitcase containing almost 10kg of cannabis valued at €196,000 over a back garden wall and arrested a second man in his 50s. Both men, identified as Lee McBride, 46, of Co Donegal, and an unnamed 50-year-old man, were charged as part of Operation Tara targeting drug distribution networks. They appeared before a special sitting of Dundalk District Court on 29 April and were remanded in custody to appear again on 6 May.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested29 Apr
    2 reports
  3. Charged29 Apr
    2 reports
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Gardaí stopped a van in Ardee shortly after 11pm on 28 April 2025 and recovered cocaine valued at over €200,000.
  • In a follow-up search of a residential property in Ardee in the early hours of 29 April 2025, Gardaí recovered a suitcase containing almost 10kg of suspected cannabis valued at €196,000 over a back garden wall, along with empty bags and weighing scales in the sitting room.
Where
Ardee, County Louth.
When
28 to 29 April 2025.
Investigation
The arrests were made as part of Operation Tara targeting drug distribution networks and associated criminal activity; both men were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 and all seized drugs were sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis.
Charges
Lee McBride, 46, of Kiltole, Convoy, Lifford in Co Donegal, was charged in connection with the alleged cocaine; a 50-year-old man, who cannot be named due to reporting restrictions, was charged in connection with the alleged cannabis.
In court
Both men appeared before a special sitting of Dundalk District Court at 4pm on 29 April 2025; McBride was remanded in custody by Judge Stephanie Coggins to appear on 6 May, and the second man was remanded to appear via videolink on 6 May.
Other details
The operation is linked to the Drogheda gang feud involving the Anti-Maguire faction, and warrants have been issued for two on-the-run brothers who fled Ireland following the murder and dismemberment of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods.
44 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatCocaine valued at over €200,000 was recovered from the van (garda.ie)
  • whatThe driver was a male in his 40s (garda.ie)
  • whatCannabis valued at over €190,000 was recovered from a residential property in Ardee in the early hours of 29 April 2025 (garda.ie)
  • whatA second male in his 50s was arrested (garda.ie)
  • whatGardaí seized nearly €400k worth of cocaine and cannabis in Co Louth (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatCocaine valued at over €200,000 was recovered from a van stopped in Ardee shortly after 11pm on Monday (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatCannabis valued at over €190,000 was recovered from a residential property in Ardee in the early hours of Tuesday 29 April (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMcBride is charged in connection with an alleged €200,000 worth of cocaine discovered in a van in the Co Louth area on Monday night, 28 April. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe second man is charged in connection with an alleged €196,000 of cannabis discovered in a suitcase behind a rear garden wall of a property in Co Louth in the early hours of Tuesday morning, 29 April. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA number of empty bags and weighing scales were discovered in the sitting room. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA suitcase containing almost 10kg of suspected cannabis worth €196,000 was located over a back wall of the garden. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe second man was present in the living room of a house in Co Louth when gardai searched it under warrant in the early hours of Tuesday morning. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe court appearance is scheduled for 4:00pm on 29 April 2025. (garda.ie)
  • whenGardaí stopped a van in Ardee shortly after 11:00 PM on 28 April 2025 (garda.ie)
  • whenThe van was stopped shortly after 11pm on Monday 28 April 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe residential property search took place in the early hours of Tuesday 29 April (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationTwo men were arrested as part of the Operation Tara investigation in Co Louth. (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe driver was arrested and taken to a Garda station in County Louth (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe driver is detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe second male is detained at a Garda station in County Louth under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 (garda.ie)
  • investigationAll drugs seized are subject to analysis by Forensic Science Ireland (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe investigation is ongoing and further updates will follow (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe operation was part of Operation Tara targeting drug distribution networks (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe driver was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe second male was also detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe arrests were made as part of Operation Tara targeting alleged drug distribution and associated criminal activity. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationAll of the alleged drugs seized are subject to an analysis by Forensic Science Ireland. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe two men have been charged. (garda.ie)
  • courtThey are due to appear before a special sitting of Dundalk District Court. (garda.ie)
  • courtGarda Leon Fox of Drogheda Garda Station gave evidence of arresting and charging McBride at 1.25pm on Tuesday. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtDefence barrister Stephen Faulkner said there was no application for bail as the accused consents to be remanded in custody. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtJudge Stephanie Coggins remanded McBride in custody to appear before the court again on 6 May. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtGarda Jason McDonagh said he arrested and charged the second man at 3.50pm on Tuesday. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe second accused was remanded in custody to appear before Dundalk District Court on 6 May via videolink. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe operation was part of Operation Tara targeting drug distribution networks and associated criminal activity (garda.ie)
  • otherThe on-the-run brothers fled Ireland following the murder and dismemberment of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherOne of the on-the-run brothers is living in Dubai and the other in Thailand (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherWarrants have been issued for the arrests of the on-the-run brothers (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe gang is known as the Anti-Maguire faction and is at war with a gang headed by Owen Maguire (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherOwen Maguire was shot a number of times by Robbie Lawlor in July 2018 (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherDuring the feud there were four murders and more than 100 serious criminal incidents (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMcBride made no reply after caution. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherLegal aid was granted after the court heard McBride is on disability benefits. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe second man made no reply after caution. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 29 Apr2025
    Chargedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Two males appear in court after Gardai seize €400k worth of alleged drugs

    First court appearance; both men remanded in custody to 6 May 2025. McBride's cocaine charge relates to a van seizure on 28 April; the unnamed man's cannabis charge relates to a suitcase found behind a garden wall on 29 April. Further more serious charges are expected for the second accused.

    accused, Lee McBride, 46, male, named, irish (judged from name)Lee McBrideaccused, 50, male
  2. 29 Apr2025
    Arrestedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Gardai deal heavy blow to on-the-run brothers with €400k drugs bust

    Adds context about the Drogheda gang feud, identifies the operation as targeting the 'Anti-Maguire faction,' mentions the on-the-run brothers (one in Dubai, one in Thailand) who fled after the murder and dismemberment of Keane Mulready-Woods, and notes that warrants have been issued for their arrests.

    suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 50s, malesuspect, malesuspect, male
  3. 29 Apr2025
    Arrestedgarda.ie, follow-up
    Operation Tara – Drug Seizures and Arrests in County Louth 28th–29th April 2025

    Initial Garda press release describing the arrests and drug seizures; both men detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984; drugs sent to FSI for analysis; investigation ongoing.

    suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 50s, male
  4. 29 Apr2025
    Chargedgarda.ie, follow-up
    Court Appearances – Operation Tara: Drug Seizures and Arrests in County Louth 28th–29th April 2025

    Confirms the two men have been formally charged and specifies the court appearance time (4:00pm, 29 April 2025) at a special sitting of Dundalk District Court.

    suspect, malesuspect, male