Drugs, Rolex watches, power tools and several animals seized during major Garda operation on Cork city's northside

Ten people were arrested, and more than €11,200 worth of illegal drugs and €4,500 in cash seized, in a major garda operation at a halting site on the northside of Cork city on Monday.

The large-scale interdivisional operation, which began around 10am, saw dozens of uniformed and plainclothes gardaí, ed by of the armed response unit, enter St Anthony’s Park, a housing estate and halting site in Hollyhill, across the road from Apple’s European headquarters.

The operation was made up of 75 gardaí from the Cork city and Cork county detective units, drugs units, community policing units and protective services units ed by the garda armed , the garda dog unit, the stolen vehicle unit and the garda helicopter.

The Garda Press Office said the operation had targeted “those suspected of drug dealing and theft offences in the region”.

During the course of the operation, 10 people, male and female were arrested for a number of offences including public order offences and theft and fraud offences. All 10 are now before the courts.

Among the items seized were an imitation firearm, €4,500 in cash, approximately €4,000 in cocaine, over €7,200 in Alzaprolam tablets, a small quantity of cannabis herb, a number of Rolex watches, a range of power tools and a new caravan.

The drugs seized will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis.

A number of arrests were made, and several animals were seized, among them horses, ponies, dogs, greyhounds, and goats.

Multiple horse boxes and animal transportation vehicles were used in the operation, and animal welfare workers and masked dog-handlers seized a number of animals.

During the operation, one horse, which had been loaded into a large horse box, appeared to be in considerable distress, kicking repeatedly at the walls of the box.

One resident told The Echo: “They’re after taking all my children’s animals, they took my horses and their ports, and if they say it was for animal welfare, there was no thin animals taken out of here”.

Colm Burke, Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central, said it was his understanding that gardaí had believed matters “needed to be dealt with, and dealt with decisively”, and this was the reasoning behind the operation.

“I would very much welcome the action the gardaí have taken,” he said.

An Garda Síochána said investigations are ongoing.