Man charged following seizure of €9.6m worth of drugs and over €1.1m in cash

A TALLAGHT man has been charged in relation to the seizure of drugs with a value of approximately €9.6m, and over €1.1m in cash.

Andrew Pender, 51, from Ely Green but who also resides at an address in Seskin View, was charged in Blanchardstown District Court on Monday morning.

He was charged with 14 offences, including money laundering, and possession and possession for sale or supply of cocaine, cannabis, ketamine, MDMA and LSD.

Pender was arrested on Friday, July 19, at a residence in The Ward, Dublin 11, as part of an intelligence-led operation was conducted by the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT).

Drugs including cocaine, cannabis, ketamine, LSD and MDMA were seized at the address.

Further cash, vehicles and designer goods were seized in a number of follow-up searches across the Dublin Metropolitan Region.

Commenting last Saturday morning, the assistant commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Region, Angela Willis, said: “The seizure of what is a significant quantity of drugs and cash is a major blow to this organised crime group which has been causing so much misery in communities right across the city.

“Cash is the lifeblood of crime groups and the seizure of amounts of this scale causes significant disruption.

“Gardaí continue to target those that destroy lives through their activities.”