What is believed to be a cocaine processing laboratory was discovered at an address in Galway city.
Gardaí have seized €178,500 in cash, as well as €50,000 worth of cocaine and a number of drug manufacturing components in Galway.
At approximately 7.40pm on Sunday (19 January), Gardaí from the Divisional Drugs Unit in Galway stopped and searched a car on the M6 Motorway in the vicinity of Loughrea, where €17,580 worth of cash was seized.
As part of a follow-up search, Gardaí uncovered what is believed to be a cocaine processing laboratory and seized cocaine (pending analysis) with an estimated value of €50,000 at an address in Galway city.
At this same address, Gardaí seized a quantity of mixing agent, a cocaine press, vacuum packer, industrial gas masks and a cash counting machine, which are believed to have been used in the manufacture of cocaine for sale or supply.
In a further follow up search, Gardaí seized €161,000 in cash at a separate premises in Galway.
One man in his 20s was arrested following the detection on the M6, while a second man in his 30s was arrested at a property.
Both men are currently detained at Galway Garda Station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drugs Trafficking) Act 1996.
These seizures were part of an intelligence led operation and were detected by the Galway Divisional Drugs Unit with the assistance of the Western Regional Armed Support Unit.
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