Two men were arrested and suspected drugs were seized on Wednesday as gardai launched a crackdown on crime gangs.
Officers backed by armed support and the dog unit made early-morning raids on houses in the Drogheda area as part of an ongoing probe into suspected drug-related intimidation in mid-Louth.
The incident was directly linked to Operation Stratus which targets
organised crime gangs in the region.
In the past year a feud between mobs in Drogheda has resulted in shootings, petrol bombs, pipe bombs, drug seizures and the recovery of guns.
The suspects, who are in their early to mid-20s, were taken to Drogheda and Dundalk Garda stations.
Cannabis and cocaine with an estimated street value of €5,000 were recovered. One vehicle and mobile phones were taken for tests.
Parents have been reportedly forced to pay thousands of euro to dealers for drug debts incurred by their children.
Gardai seize alcohol and cigarette factory that could have cost exchequer €25million
Last year local councillor Pio Smith claimed pushers had extorted €150,000 from families in the Drogheda area.
In one case a cannabis debt of €400 escalated to €7,500 in just a few weeks.
Cllr Smith said: “This sort of activity goes on day in and day out in Drogheda.
“I must praise gardai for their ongoing work. It is a great result for them and the community.”
Meanwhile, for the second time in a year private cars belonging to off-duty gardai have been targeted in apparent arson attacks in Co Louth.
Three vehicles were damaged in Knockbridge, outside Dundalk, in the early hours of Wednesday.
Officers have appealed for anyone who saw the incident or noticed a vehicle travelling at speed in the area to contact them.
The cars were parked in a row outside houses in an estate when the alarm was raised. One was very extensively damaged while the vehicles on either side also scorched.
Last year a car belonging to another garda who lives in Dundalk was targeted in a similar attack. Wednesday’s incident was described as “intimidation” by Louth TD Declan Breathnach.
He said: “Intimidation of gardai or officers of our State is not something the vast majority of citizens of this State support.
“I condemn such actions by those criminals whose activity in my area is not reflective of the residents of Knockbridge or Co Louth.”
The local Garda Representative Association representative Derek O’Donoghue said he was not surprised by the incident.
He added: “What we have seen overnight is unfortunately something our members have increasingly been the victims of.
“They are being specifically targeted for choosing a career of service to their communities and to the State and that is intolerable and totally unacceptable.”
