Officers Seize £500,000 Worth of Drugs in Major Northern Ireland Operation

TL;DR:
Police in Northern Ireland have seized cannabis plants worth an estimated £500,000 after coordinated raids in Templepatrick, Coleraine, Tandragee, Lurgan, and Newry. Five men aged 33–43 were arrested, and four vehicles were seized in the crackdown on organised crime gangs.

Major Police Operation Targets Organised Crime Gangs

Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) Organised Crime Branch have seized cannabis plants with an estimated street value of £500,000 following a series of coordinated searches across Northern Ireland on 13 August 2025.

The operation involved the PSNI’s Tactical Support Group officers and targeted five properties in:

• Templepatrick
• Coleraine
• Tandragee
• Lurgan
• Newry

Five Arrests and Multiple Cannabis Cultivations Dismantled

Five men, aged 33, 34, 38, 41, and 43, were arrested on suspicion of various offences, including the cultivation of cannabis. All suspects remain in custody.

Detective Inspector Kelly said the searches uncovered and dismantled four cannabis cultivations, each set up with specialist equipment and containing plants at various stages of growth.

“Clearly there was a conveyor belt supply of drugs being produced, with regular harvests across the properties, which would likely be sold on to other criminal gangs,”
— Detective Inspector Kelly, PSNI Organised Crime Branch

Seizures and Public Appeal

Alongside the drugs, four vehicles were seized during the raids. The fifth property in Newry led to the arrest of a suspect by Roads Policing officers in Portadown.

Police say organised crime gangs fund their activities at the expense of the community, causing property damage, harming vulnerable individuals, and placing pressure on families and the health service.

How the Public Can Help

The PSNI is urging anyone with information about drug-related crime to come forward.

• Call 101 quoting the relevant reference number
• Use the online reporting form at www.psni.police.uk/makeareport
• Contact Crimestoppers anonymously at 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org