Gardaí have seized more than a quarter of a million euro worth of Cannabis herb at a checkpoint in Co. Laois.

Gardaí from Portlaoise, Health and Safety officers, officers from the Roads Safety Authority and Customs officers manned the checkpoint on the M7 motorway at Doon near Borris-in- Ossory.

They stopped and searched a car and found cannabis herb worth more than €250,000 inside.

A man in his 30s, the only person in the car, was arrested and is being held under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at Portlaoise Garda Station.

A technical and forensic examination of the car and drugs seized is underway.