BREAKING Laois Garda uncover big cannabis grow house in semi-detached home

Local policing work in Laois has led to the uncovering of a big cannabis factory in Mountrath town with the seizure of €270,000 worth of cannabis herb.

Gardaí in Mountrath and detectives attached to the Divisional Drugs Unit in Portlaoise worked together to uncover the grow house in a semi-detached property in a local estate after receiving a tip-off of some suspicious activity on what appeared to be vacant property.

A subsequent surveillance operation culminated in the raid on the rented property around 8 am on Friday, February 19.

"As part of our ongoing commitment in working with communities in Laois and Offaly to tackle anti-social behaviour and drugs our colleagues carried out a search of a property in Mountrath, Co Laois resulting in the recovery of a large number of cannabis plants with a potential street value of €270,000," said a statement.

Laois gardaí estimate that about 500 plants were being cultivated in the building with nearly every room in the house in use.

A male in his 30s was arrested at the scene and is currently being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at Portlaoise Garda station.

As part of their investigation Gardaí have appealed to the public to contact them in Mountrath, Portlaoise or any Garda station if they have information that could help in identifying those involved.

The discovery is the latest in a list of drug operations that have resulted in the seizure of significant amounts of cannabis herb in the Laois and other midlands/east counties.