Gardai have uncovered a drugs factory linked to a notorious gangland boss living in north Kildare.

The factory was found yesterday when officers raided a rented house at Kilmurray, Enfield, near the Meath-Kildare border.

They seized five kilos of cocaine and four kilos of heroin with a combined street value of around €1m.

Also discovered were a large quantity of mixing agents, weighing scales and other drugs manufacturing equipment.

The raid followed a lengthy operation involving gardai from the Kildare division and local officers from Leixlip, backed up by the national drugs unit.

Detectives arrested a 41-year-old man, who was born in South Africa but is an Irish citizen.

However, they believe the mastermind behind the drugs operation is a Dublin criminal. He is regarded as a major supplier of drugs in the Leinster area over several years.

Last night's haul was thought to have been destined for sale in Meath and Kildare.

Haul

The suspect was taken for questioning at Leixlip station.

Meanwhile, gardai were continuing to question a 27-year-old Dundalk man last night in connection with the seizure of a €3.5m haul of cannabis resin and herb by members of the national drugs unit on Wednesday night.

The haul was found in a warehouse in a business park at the Malahide Road in Coolock after it was brought there in a van, which had been under surveillance following a joint operation between gardai and the customs drugs team.

The van was "tailed" from Dublin Port to the warehouse.

Gardai believe the shipment was organised by a Dublin crime gang and was destined for distribution in the north city and in county Louth.

Officers said the gang suffered a financial loss of several hundred thousand euro as a result.

And gardai in Bray said they arrested 20 people over the course of the last week for their involvement in the sale and supply of heroin and cannabis.

Over 50 charges can be preferred against those arrested.

A garda spokesman said: "This has been a nine-month covert policing operation which has dismantled significant drug distribution networks operating in north Wicklow.

"During the course of the searches carried out this week, further amounts of controlled drugs have also been seized along with drug-dealing paraphernalia.

"The focus of this operation has been to gather evidence against significant drug dealers."

Police officers hurt in Bristol riots

Police have defended their actions after riots broke out in Bristol at a supermarket protest.
A number of police officers were hurt in the scuffles at the Tesco store in the Stokes Croft area of the city overnight.
Assistant chief constable at Avon and Somerset Constabulary Rod Hansen stated 300 protestors were in attendance at the Tesco store and some started throwing bottles at officers, while petrol bombs were also confiscated at the scene.
"We took the decision to carry out a swift arrest operation, following intelligence received about the criminal intentions of those who were occupying the building," he said.
Assistant chief constable Hansen added the positive action was due to the petrol bombs being found and the belief of the force there could be a threat to the public unless the protest was brought under control.
None of the injuries sustained by any of the protestors, or the eight police officers who were hurt, were thought to be serious and the last groups dispersed from the area at around 04:00 BST.
Local resident Duncan Birmingham told the Guardian the new Tesco Express store had been "trashed" in the riots.