Five people have been arrested and drugs worth 230 thousand euro have been seized across three counties.

The operation targeting drug trafficking activities by organised criminals saw searches and arrests in Cork, Laois and Kildare.

Earlier today Gardaí stopped and searched a car on the M8 motorway close to Portlaoise.

5kgs of cannabis herb, with an estimated value of €100,000 was discovered and a 35 year old man was arrested at scene.

He is due to appear before Carlow District Court tomorrow morning.

Follow up searches were then carried out in counties Kildare and Cork.

Two men,aged 51 and 29 years, were arrested in Caragh, Naas and 3kgs of amphetamine and a sum of cash was seized.

Both men are being held at Naas Garda Station.

Gardaí also searched a house and a van in Glounthaune Village, Cork and recovered 620g of cocaine, 15 hundred ecstasy tablets and MDMA with a combined total of €85,000.

A 32 year old man and a 29 year old woman were arrested at that scene.

The woman was released from Garda custody without charge and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The man is due to appear before Cork District Court tomorrow morning.

Nicole Gernon reports: