A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DDP ) after a drugs bust uncovered €20,000 worth of cannabis plants in the centre of Athlone town recently.
Athlone gardai have confirmed that there is “no connection” to the €500,000 worth of cannabis plants and herbs seized at cannabis factories in the nearby counties of Roscommon and Longford.
A cannabis growing operation in the Strand area of Athlone was thwarted after gardai carried out a major search, under the Misuse of Drugs Act, last week.
According to a spokesperson for Athlone Garda Station a man had been arrested at the scene after local gardai discovered cannabis plants, with an estimated street value of €20,000. Equipment used in cultivating the drug was also seized.
The 30-year-old man, who was described as not being local, was arrested and brought to Athlone Garda Station for questioning. He was later released without charge. A file is now being prepared for the DPP.
This is just one in a series of successful garda operations in the county and surrounding areas. Three cannabis growing operations were uncovered yesterday morning following a co-ordinated intelligence driven search operation, controlled by Castlerea gardai.
Two men and a woman, were arrested after cannabis plants and herb were uncovered in separate houses in Lisacul, Castlerea (street value €84,000 ) and Strokestown (street value €147,000 ) in Roscommon and Drumlish (street value €287,000 ) in Longford.
The three suspects with Chinese, Vietnamese, and Hong Kong nationalities, were being detained at the time of going to press at Roscommon, Boyle, and Longford garda stations.
According to the National Advisory Committee on Drugs cannabis remains the most commonly used illegal drug in all the Regional Drugs Task Force areas across all time periods.
Meanwhile, Athlone gardai continue their appeal for witnesses to a robbery of a betting shop and a number of assaults which occurred during the week.
On Monday, August 4, two masked men entered Boylesports bookies in the Golden Island area between 9.30am and 10.30am while staff were opening up. The raiders left the premises with a small amount of cash and gardai say that there were no injuries.
On Saturday, August 2, at around midnight a woman received facial injuries while in Browne’s Bar on Connaught Street. She was brought to Portiuncula Hospital for treatment and has since been released. At 5am on August 2, a man received a number of stab wounds at a house in Connaught Gardens. He was also brought to Portiuncula hospital and his injuries were described as serious but not life- threatening. The type of weapon used in the incident is unclear at present as gardai are still investigating.
Anyone with information regarding the above incidents are being asked to contact Athlone Garda Station on 6498550.
