[belfast]

https://www.ireland.com/stayingin/Cor...newsirishtimes
A massive cannabis factory thought to be the biggest in the State resembled a little jungle, detectives revealed tonight.

Gardaí who uncovered the operation in a Cork city warehouse described it as elaborate and hi-tech.

Some 1,200 cannabis plants worth €360,000 were seized by gardaí last night during the raid on the premises in the Hollyhill area.

“It is possible that figure could rise,” said a senior officer.

“It will probably be the biggest in the country by the time we are finished. It is a substantial seizure. It will possibly go down on record as one of the major seizures of this type of cannabis cultivation in the country.”

The senior detective said it would take between 24 and 48 hours to calculate the full extent of the find.

The elaborate production plant, estimated to cost around half a million euro to set up, was uncovered after a man in his 20s was found in possession of a small amount of cannabis herb in a car on Blarney Road.

The man is being questioned at Gurranabraher Garda station under section four of the Criminal Justice Act.

It is understood the plants were being grown at different stages using a water based method called hydroponics.

Detectives said the warehouse was fitted out with state of the art equipment, lighting and fans.

“It reminded you of a little jungle, full of tropical plants,” he continued.

“The system they were using was unusual, a water-based method that pumps the nutrients into the plants instead of using soil.

“The investigation itself is still in its infancy and it is still a crime scene.

“We are dealing with a process that requires a lot of light and water.” The warehouse remained sealed off tonight as a specialist Garda team from Dublin carried out a detailed forensic examination of the scene.

Another senior officer said cannabis factories of this nature were unusual in the south of the county.

“We have seen some like them in Limerick and Roscommon, but this is the first time we have had one in the Cork area of this size,” he added.

“It was a very elaborate and very professional production plant.

“We still haven’t got an exact value on it yet because we are going through the site bit by bit.”

[belfast]

https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...923367872.html
Cannabis factory could grow drugs worth up to €2m

BARRY ROCHE, Southern Correspondent

Tue, Jan 27, 2009

GARDAÍ IN Cork believe a cannabis factory found in the city had the capacity to produce up to €2 million worth of the drug per annum.

According to Supt Con Cadogan of Gurranebraher Garda station, who is heading up the investigation, the factory in a warehouse in the Hollyhill Industrial Estate on Cork’s northside was a highly sophisticated operation.

“We’ve had two forensic scientists down from Dublin and they tell us it is the biggest such cannabis producing factory that they’ve ever come across,” said Supt Cadogan, adding that gardaí believe that the operation could produce up to four crops of cannabis grass per year.

Supt Cadogan said that the cannabis plants were being grown hydroponically with nutrients being supplied to the plants through a sophisticated temperature-controlled water-based growing system.

The factory also involved an elaborate motorised lighting system with lights moving around on rails to ensure constant light for each plant, while a system of fans meant warm air was circulated throughout the 3,000 square foot warehouse to ensure plants did not die.

Gardaí also found weighing scales, driers and wrapping machines to pack the cannabis grass for sale or distribution, said Supt Cadogan, who added that gardaí in Cork had noticed an increase in the amount of cannabis grass for sale in the city in the past few months.

Supt Cadogan said that gardaí had found some 1,200 plants at four stages of growth in the factory and they believed that the gang behind the operation were growing plants in an eight- to 12-week cycle, giving them at least four crops over a 12-month period.

According to Supt Cadogan, the cannabis plants had an estimated street value of €400,000, while the equipment was worth another €100,000. Gardaí estimate that over a 12-month period, the factory could produce €2 million worth of the drug.

Supt Cadogan explained that the leaves were harvested off the plant when it reached maturity at about 2m in height and the plant would continue to be nourished through the hydroponic system until it again produced another crop of leaves for harvesting.

Gardaí were yesterday checking when and by whom the warehouse was leased, but one Garda source indicated the gang behind the operation could have been growing cannabis at the factory for 12 months or longer.

The factory was discovered after gardaí stopped and searched a car on Blarney Road at about 8.20pm on Sunday. They found a small quantity of cannabis grass and arrested the driver, a man in his 20s from Togher, and brought him to Gurranebraher Garda station for questioning.

Gardaí had to wait for the ESB to come and confirm the plant was safe to enter yesterday because of the large quantity of electrical equipment and cabling, but Garda technical experts yesterday began a forensic examination of the building and its contents.

They believe an Irish gang is behind the operation and detectives yesterday carried out a number of follow-up searches of houses in Togher and Tower where they found a quantity of cash, believed to be about €50,000.

[libby]

Supt Cadogan explained that the leaves were harvested off the plant when it reached maturity at about 2m in height and the plant would continue to be nourished through the hydroponic system until it again produced another crop of leaves for harvesting.

Do they actually know what they are on about? or have l mlssed somethlng?

[snes]

maybe they were revegged, and the cop cannot diffrenciate between buds and leaves

[devilsharvest66]

hey hey when did this all happen.. I used to live near there when I first moved to cork.. the cops there are fools.. they just got lucky

[belfast]

https://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0311/drugs.html
Cannabis with a potential street value of about €200,000 has been seized in Co Leitrim.

Eight people were arrested when two houses in Drumshanbo were searched at 9pm last night.

"The cannabis plants were being grown in a bungalow and a two-storey house, which is believed to have been rented.

Around 900 plants at various stages of maturity were being grown in a number of rooms in the houses.

Local gardaí and officers from the National Drugs Unit carried out the raid as part of Operation Nitrogen, which targets cannabis growing houses.

The seven men and one woman are being held at Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon and Manorhamilton stations.

They can be held for seven days before being charged or released. They range in age from their mid 20s to 50."