Police in Portugal investigating the activities of an international cocaine gang have discovered the body of an Irishman in a fridge.
The man's body was found on Thursday in an apartment on the Algarve. It is understood the victim was a 38-year-old drug dealer from Cork.
Five people were arrested in connection with the Cork man's death, which is being linked to a large international drugs ring. Four of the men were Irish - three from Cork and one from Coolock - and one man was from Portugal. It is understood the discovery of the body was made as part of an international investigation involving police forces from Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Britain.
Senior Garda sources said last night said that the four men were part of a highly organised drugs gang, importing cocaine from Portugal to Ireland.
They had all been living in Portugal for up to three years.
Following the discovery of the body, gardaí carried out a major operation targeting the drug trafficking gang in Dublin and Cork yesterday.
Some 12 searches were carried out and it is understood that €1.3 million worth of cocaine was recovered in Balbriggan and Blanchardstown. In a related move, gardaí seized drugs with an estimated market value of €850,000 in Balbriggan, Co Dublin, yesterday evening as part of the operation.
Approximately 12kg of cocaine was seized, together with several kilos of mixing agent. Gardaí believe the house in which the drugs were found was being used as a drugs factory for mixing and preparing cocaine for sale. A substantial sum of cash, reported to be €80,000, was also seized.
One man, in his early thirties, was arrested and detained at Balbriggan Garda station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act.
As part of the same operation, a search was carried out in the Ballymun area of Dublin yesterday. Gardaí seized a firearm and a 45-year-old woman was arrested.