Gardaí arrest motorist with live European Arrest Warrant in place for multiple serious offences

The man refused to participate in a drugs test after Gardaí detected a strong smell of cannabis emanating from his vehicle.

A man in his 30s has been arrested by Gardaí for drug driving offences after a quantity of drugs was discovered in his vehicle on Tuesday. Further checks carried out on the man in question, who Gardaí say is Eastern European, revealed that a live European Arrest Warrant was in place for him for a number of serious offences. Gardaí attached to Clondalkin Garda Station stopped the man’s vehicle while conducting an Operation Fanacht checkpoint on the N7 Southbound on Tuesday evening. Gardaí detected a strong smell of cannabis emanating from the vehicle, but the driver refused to participate in a Drager 5000 test (Drug Test). A search of the vehicle was carried out under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977/84 and a quantity of cannabis was discovered. Having been detained at Clondalkin Garda Station, the man was later released pending a file to be submitted to the DPP. After checks revealed that a live European Arrest Warrant was in place for the driver for a number of serious offences, he was arrested on foot of the European Arrest Warrant and kept in custody in Clondalkin Garda Station. He appeared before the High Court on Wednesday morning (28 October).