Almost €100k in ready-to-harvest plants hidden under rural roof
08:27, 09 Jun 2026Updated 08:57, 09 Jun 2026
Hidden under the roof of the rural dwelling outside Ballyvourney(Image: An GS)
It may be better known as a picturesque pocket of the Irish language, the area around Ballyvourney in Co Cork that is home to a thriving community of native language speakers.
However, the townland of Ballymakeera has also been hiding a sophisticated cannabis growhouse, that was busted by Gardai yesterday by officers who found akmost €100,000 worth of mature plants that looked ready to harvest.
Gardai said: “As part of Operation Tara and ongoing investigations targeting the sale and supply of controlled drugs & organized crime, Gardaí attached to the Cork North West Divisional Drugs Unit, accompanied by the Cork South West Divisional Drugs Unit conducted a search of a domestic residence in the Ballymakeera area of Co. Cork today Monday 8th June”.
During the course of the operation, Gardaí uncovered a sophisticated Cannabis grow house.
Growhouse at Ballymakeera(Image: An GS)
Investigating Gardaí seized 122 mature Cannabis plants with an estimated value of €97,600, approximately 1 kilogram of suspected loose Cannabis material with an estimated value of €20,000, and drug paraphernalia.
An adult male (aged in his 40s) was arrested and is currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at a Garda Station in the Southern Region.
The seized substances will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis.”
Gardai say investigations are ongoing.