Gardaí have arrested a teenager for questioning following the seizure of almost €80,000 worth of drugs in an intelligence-led operation in East Cork.

Officers from the Midleton district drugs unit mounted a surveillance operation on a local 18-year-old youth on Saturday in the Baillick area of the town.

Detectives observed the teenager retrieve two gear bags from under a tree before moving in and examining the bags which contained €45,000 worth of cannabis, €15,000 worth of ecstasy and €13,000 worth of cocaine.

Officers arrested the teenager and brought him for questioning to Midleton Garda Station where he was detained under section four of the Criminal Justice Act which allows gardai to detain suspects for 24 hours.

Detectives then carried out a follow up search of a house in the Cherrywood Heights area of the town where they recovered a further €6,500 worth of cannabis, a weighing scales and €200 in cash.

Gardaí have sent all four packages of suspected drugs to the forensic science Ireland laboratory for analysis but they believe the total value of the haul is €79,000.

A garda source said the operation was an intelligence led investigation into the sale and supply of drugs in the Midleton area and they believe the entire consignment was destined for the local Midleton market.

“These seizures are the result of an ongoing investigation into the sale and supply of drugs in East Cork - they represent an important capture in taking a lot of drugs off the streets of Midleton,” said the source.