Armed gardaí seized €500,000 worth of drugs and arrested three men in a raid on an “illicit pill-making factory” in Co Kildare on Sunday afternoon.

The three men, originally from Eastern Europe but resident in Ireland, were said to be in the process of making a substantial quantity of ecstasy tablets at a house in an estate in Celbridge when gardaí broke up production.

In addition to the tablets, the officers from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and the Special Crime Task Force, which have been to the fore in investigating the activities of the Kinahan gang, also seized drug-making paraphernalia.

Among the equipment seized were blenders and an industrial pill-making machine, as well as protective clothing, including gloves, masks and forensics suits.

A small quantity of heroin was also discovered during the raid, which lasted just in excess of three hours.

The men, who are in their 30s and 40s, are currently being detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, at Leixlip and Lucan Garda stations.

“This operation provides further evidence of the extent of links between Irish-based organised crime groups and the international drug trade,” said Assistant Garda Commissioner John O’ Driscoll.

“The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau has today dealt another blow to those involved in organised crime. Our effort in tackling organised crime is unrelenting and will continue as long as is necessary,” he added.