Gardaí seized approximately €30,000 of suspected cocaine and arrested one man during the course of a search in Listowel yesterday.

The search under warrant, which was undertaken as part of Operation Tara by members attached to Listowel Garda Station, Kerry Divisional Drug Unit and the Southern Regional Dog Unit, occurred at a residence in the town yesterday evening.

Suspected cocaine with an estimated value of €31,850 along with drug paraphernalia was seized during the course of the search.

The seized drugs will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis.

A man in his 20s was arrested at the scene and detained at a Garda station in Kerry under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996. He has since been released without charge and a file will be prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Investigations are ongoing.