Gardai have arrested four people in Louth after a quantity of drugs, tobacco and counterfeit goods were seized as part of an ongoing operation.

The operation is targeting dissidents, suspected drug dealers and those believed to be involved in organised crime in the area.

Armed gardai have been involved in searches of houses in Drogheda, Dundalk and Ardee today. Follow up searches are continuing.

A garda spokesman said the operation involved gardai from Louth as well as the special detective unit, the emergency response unit and the regional support unit.

Gardai executed search warrants and had high visibility checkpoints as part of the operation.

The garda spokesman said “this was part of Operation Compass which is high profile policing operation which has led to seizures of items as well as the arrest of individuals in relation to drugs, counterfeiting and intellectual property crimes.”

It is understood that a number of high profile dissidents have had their homes searched.

The 3 men and 1 woman who were detained have been released without charge and a file is being prepared for the DPP.