Gardaí searched seven houses in a Co Cork village today following the death of a 19-year-old man from a suspected overdose yesterday.
Full toxicology reports are awaited, but foul play has been ruled out in the death of Pádraig O'Keeffe. He was discovered lying at the side of the road not far from his home at Mullanes, Rathcormac at 6.30am yesterday.
Gardaí believe Mr O'Keeffe may have taken drugs while attending a house party at Páirc na Gréine estate in Rathcormac village, but they are still trying to establish how he made his way from there to his home over two miles away on the main Rathcormac to Glenville Road.
Gardaí said today that "due to information received yesterday in relation to the death of a man near Rathcormac, gardaí obtained warrants under the Misuse of Drugs Act and searched a number of houses in the village."
One of the houses searched today was declared a crime scene yesterday following the discovery of Mr O'Keeffe's body.
"Some of these searches are ongoing, and when compete a file will be sent to the DPP in relation to the matter," a Garda statement said.
A small amount of cannabis and cocaine were seized by gardaí during the raids. The search involved around 20 officers under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Gardaí were yesterday trying to establish if Mr O'Keeffe was given a lift to the spot where his body was found. It is understood that they have not ruled out the possibility that he may have been brought there in an unconscious state.
The scene was cordoned off and gardaí requested the services of State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, who carried out a preliminary examination at the scene.
Mr O'Keeffe's remains were later removed to Cork University Hospital where Dr Cassidy began her postmortem.
Detectives had earlier spent the day trying to trace Mr O'Keeffe's last movements and they established that he had been socialising in Rathcormac for most of Sunday before attending a party at a house in Páirc na Gréine on Sunday night where cocaine was available.
Gardaí sealed off the house for technical examination and they also spent several hours interviewing three men in an effort to establish Mr O'Keeffe's movements that night.
One of a family of seven, the 19-year-old worked locally in the construction industry.