The seizure of more than €14 million worth of cocaine in Co Laois last night is linked to a drugs gang that stepped into a void left by the Kinahan Organised Crime Group in west Dublin.
Eight cars, cash and cannabis were also seized during a search operation at a commercial premises in Mountmellick.
Gardaí are continuing to question three men arrested during the operation who they describe as significant targets.
They can be questioned for up to seven days.
It is understood the gang use the Co Laois premises as a drug-mixing and distribution centre, and used modified cars to supply those drugs to west Dublin.
When officers from the Dublin Crime Response team raided it they found 199 kilos of cocaine vacuum packed and concealed in hidden compartments in some of the eight cars seized, along with 4 kilos of cannabis and €25,000 in cash.
The organised crime group involved has been a target for some time and last July gardaí seized another €9.5m in drugs and over €1m in cash.
It stepped into a void left by the Kinahan Organised Crime Group, whose operation in west Dublin was dismantled after it was intensively targeted because of the murderous feud.
This Organised Crime Group supplying these drugs has tried to keep a low profile, staying away from feuds and gangland murders.
However the gang leaders have been found by the High Court to be involved in drug dealing for over twenty years and the Criminal Assets Bureau has also confiscated their cash, luxury goods and homes.
Assistant Commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region Paul Cleary said the operation had taken down the main supply network for cocaine and crack cocaine into west Dublin.
He said the operation stopped the drugs from entering communities and is another significant blow to an organised crime group.
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Additional reporting Sinéad Hussey
