Sixty-four people have been arrested in Co Carlow and Co Kilkenny during an extensive Garda anti-crime operation.

Officers raided 29 houses and a business premises and seized drugs worth €34,000 including heroin, ecstasy, cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines.

The arrests were carried out as part of Operation Thor, which was launched in 2015 and specifically targets organised crime.

The large-scale operation included more than 130 gardaí, 50 students from the Garda college and a visiting group of 30 European police officers who were present at checkpoints as observers.

Cannabis growhouse

It led to the discovery of a cannabis growhouse in Castlecomer where plants with an estimated value of €4,000 were seized.

Sixty checkpoints were established across the Kilenny-Carlow Division during Thursday.

A handgun was found during a search of a house in Kilkenny city.

Twenty-two people were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act for a range of suspected offences including theft, assault, fraud, misuse of drugs and burglary.

A further 33 were arrested on foot of committal and penal warrants.

“The objective of the operation is to disrupt criminals living in and travelling through the Kilkenny-Carlow Division,” Chief Supt Dominic Hayes said in a statement.

“Criminals will be deterred from committing crime in an area perceived as being heavily policed. This operation will also assist in the detection of criminal offences through proactive policing activities.”