Dublin: Liquid cocaine in wine bottles among €2m drug seizure

Irish police have arrested seven people and seized drugs worth more than €2m (£1.7m) in a major operation against alleged organised crime in Dublin.

The operation also led to the seizure of significant quantities of cash.

As part of the drugs seized, officers discovered a significant amount of suspected liquid cocaine concealed in wine and champagne bottles.

The police said the operation had disrupted a drug trafficking route and "exposed" a new way of hiding drugs.

Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported that one of those arrested is believed to be linked to the Kinahan organised crime group.

The seizures occurred during a number of searches on Wednesday by the Garda (Irish Police) National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau,

Officers searched premises in the Beaumont area of the city, where they seized bottles with suspected liquid cocaine worth more than €150,000 (£128,000).

'Very significant outcome'

A man in his 20s was arrested and has since been charged. He is due to appear in court in Dublin on Friday.

Later on Wednesday, officers intercepted a vehicle on the M50 motorway and searched premises in three separate areas of Dublin.

In the course of these searches, officers seized substances believed to include cannabis, cocaine and heroin as well as other equipment used for money laundering.

Officers arrested six more men, aged between 20 and 49, on suspicion of involvement in drug trafficking.

One of those men has been charged and is due to appear in court on Friday morning.

Garda Assistant Commissioner John O'Driscoll said the outcome of the operation was "very significant".

He said the money seized was "suspected to be the proceeds of drug trafficking".