An Irish socialite was among three men arrested and quizzed by cops over a €1 million heroin haul in Dublin and Meath.
The high profile figure is well known in social circles, while the other two men arrested are Turkish and Indian.
One of them was today released without charge while the others remain in custody in Dublin Garda stations following their arrest on Saturday.
A Garda spokesman told the Irish Mirror: “One man in his 40s has been released with a file sent to Director of Public Prosecutions.
“Two other men remain in custody under section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug trafficking Act) 1996.”
The arrests are a huge success for officers as it is suspected the three detained are major players in an international drug trafficking network.
A total of 7kg of drugs was seized with an estimated street value of over €1,000,000.
The three men were stopped in a car on Saturday and the drugs were discovered in searches in Meath and Dublin.
It is suspected the Turkish man is an international drugs importer while the Indian man had already served a lengthy sentence in the UK for drug dealing.
The men, aged in their 40s and 50s, were swooped upon following a joint operation by the Garda’s Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and the UK’s National Crime Agency.
Gardai suspect the drugs were being brought in by a west Dublin-based gang led by two brothers, which has links to the Kinahan cartel.
Detective Chief Superintendent Angela Willis of the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, said: “This substantial seizure of heroin will help keep our communities and people safe and will impact significantly on organised crime groups involved in the international drugs trade.”
Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll of Special Crime Operations said: “This seizure of a large amount of heroin is the result of an intelligence-led investigation.
“This demonstrates the increased capabilities of the Garda Síochána, when working with our international partners, to keep people safe and target those who would attack our communities with drugs.”
Gardai have said investigations are ongoing nationally and internationally.
