A MAN has been arrested in Cork under suspicion of possession of a large amount of heroin.
Gardaí discovered what is believed to be heroin with a street value of €70,000 after conducting a routine Covid-19 check on a car passing through the M8 motorway in Fermoy.
Shortly after midnight on 31 March, 2020, Gardaí stopped a car which was travelling on the M8 in order to check if the travel was essential, in line with new Government restrictions to slow the spread of coronavirus in Ireland.
The passenger, a man aged in his 30's, was searched by Gardaí and was found to be carrying €70,000 worth of suspected heroin in his jacket, which was divided into four large bags.
The suspected drugs have been sent for analysis in order to confirm the presence of heroin.
The passenger was arrested at the scene and taken to Fermoy Garda Station where he was detained for questioning under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.
The man has since been charged and will appear in court at an undetermined later date.
Superintendent John Deasey, speaking at Fermoy Garda Station, said that Gardaí will continue to tackle crime while the Government-mandated lockdown is in place.
He said:
"During these Covid-19 checkpoints, An Garda Síochána continues in a phase of engaging, educating and encouraging the public to be compliant with Government and HSE public health measures. Whilst we are doing that, we are also preventing and detecting crime at this challenging time.”
