Published Wednesday, 24 October 2012
The arrests were made as part of Operation Nitrogen. (© Getty)
Gardaí investigating the cultivation of the drug discovered four large industrial style grow houses on Wednesday.
The estimated values of the seizures are as follows - €1.6 million in Tramore, Co Waterford; €1.4 million in Swinford, Co Mayo; €1.2 million in Ardee, Co Louth; and €800,000 in Newbridge, Co Kildare.
A storage depot for equipment used in cultivation was also discovered in an industrial unit in Blanchardstown, Dublin.
The five men are being detained under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at gardaí stations throughout the south.