Ashbourne searches linked to major international police investigation

A number of searches in the greater Ashbourne area were conduced in the early hours of yesterday (Tuesday) morning, as part of a major international investigation into organised crime. At the time of going to press, one man had been arrested in Dublin and 15 men, several of them Irish, were arrested in Spain while a further 10 were arrested in the UK. Members of An Garda Síochána carried out an extensive search operation in the wider Dublin area and in Meath on Tuesday morning, Working closely with law enforcement colleagues in Spain, Belgium and the United Kingdom, Gardaí have been targeting the activities of an Irish organised crime gang for a considerable period of time. The group's activities are believed to include the supply and distribution of controlled drugs and firearms as well as extensive money laundering. Yesterday's searches of both business and residential premises were conducted by detectives from units within National Support Services together with other specialist units and local Gardaí. Simultaneous searches and arrests have been carried out in Spain by the Spanish National Police and by the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) in the United Kingdom. Garda members from GNDU are being based in Spain and the United Kingdom for the duration of the operation and law enforcement officers from Spain and the UK together with a representative from Europol are present here in Ireland. At the time of going to press, 17 premises had been searched in Dublin and Meath and one man had been arrested in the north inner city and was being detained at Store Street station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Drug Trafficking Act. Commenting on the investigation, the Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said: "This is an extensive and focused investigation into organised criminal activity targeting drug trafficking, money laundering and firearms crime. Over a significant period of time, An Garda Síochána has engaged in the highest levels of cooperation and partnership with law enforcement colleagues in a number of key countries, including the Spanish National Police, SOCA in the United Kingdom and the Belgians, culminating in today's operation. "The message is clear: there is no hiding place for those who seek to bring misery and hurt to communities here in Ireland and abroad. If people choose to trade drugs and death across borders, police will work together across those same borders to address that challenge and disrupt criminal activity." SOCA's Trevor Pearce said: "The scale of this joint operation by law enforcement agencies from so many countries is an indication of how prolific we think this network was. The arrests will have dealt a major blow to an organised criminal business suspected of supplying drugs and guns to gangs in cities across the UK and Europe".