Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Operation Stratus has been in operation in Drogheda since last year. There have been significant successes on the part of the Garda in more recent times and, as I mentioned earlier, there have been successful operations and arrests. Over the Christmas period, there was a seizure of drugs worth in excess €110,000 at Moneymore and one person was charged in that regard. There was the discovery of three firearms and a consignment of drugs at Boyne Rovers football club in Drogheda last March.

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On 10 April, four residential properties were searched, one vehicle was seized for examination and a quantity of suspected cannabis and cocaine, with an approximate value of €5,000, as well as a quantity of mobile telephones were seized. Three men were arrested. Also in April, gardaí arrested four men in connection with a shooting incident and a number of premises have been searched in connection with this investigation. On 22 April, An Garda Síochána discovered a handgun and nine pipe bomb components during a search of open ground at Moneymore. To date, 319 proactive searches have been carried out in the Drogheda area along with 870 armed support unit and roads policing checkpoints and 1,250 proactive uniform and plain clothes patrols.

There is sustained and concerted action by An Garda Síochána under Operation Stratus.

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