Driver escapes after crashing into garda car before drug seizure

James Cox

Gardaí in Newbridge, Co Kildare, arrested a man and seized in excess of €102,000 worth of drugs during an operation on Friday, but two men escaped following an incident in the town.

At approximately 10.30pm, gardaí attempted to stop a vehicle in Newbridge when the driver of the vehicle struck the patrol car head on.

Both the male driver and front passenger fled the scene on foot while gardaí arrested one male back seat passenger. Nobody received injuries as a result of the collision.

The male, aged in his late 20s, was arrested and taken to a garda station in Kildare where he is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

Gardaí searched the vehicle and a quantity of cocaine, ecstacy and MDMA drugs were located with an estimated street value of €25,590 along with €2,000 in cash.

In a follow-up search, in the early hours of Saturday morning, at a residential property in Newbridge, a quantity of cocaine and cannabis with an estimated street value of €77,000 was seized. A number of designer clothes, designer watches and four sports cars were also seized.

The drugs were seized as part of Operation Tara.

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

Investigations are ongoing as gardaí continue to search for the other two men.