On Thursday, 30th January 2020, an intelligence led operation was undertaken by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), supported by a Special Crime Task Force, targeting persons suspected to be involved in serious and organised crime who operate at an international level. A male, a 43 year old Dutch national, was arrested in the Dublin 4 area having been discovered to be in possession of an estimated €200,000 in cash.
The man was arrested on suspicion of commission of an offence contrary to the provisions of section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 and was conveyed to Irishtown Garda Station where he remains detained under the provisions Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
Follow up searches were carried out by GNDOCB at a premises in the Dublin 4 area. In the course of this search an additional significant quantity of cash and a number of gold bars were seized.
The precise amount of cash is yet to be established as some of it was vacuum packed and is subject of technical examination; however it is estimated to exceed €500,000.
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Also on Thursday 30th January 2020, during the course of an intelligence led operation undertaken by GNDOCB, targeting persons suspected to be involved in serious organised crime operating in the Dublin Metropolitan Region and in Co. Meath, personnel attached to GNDOCB and the Special Crime Task Force, intercepted a vehicle in the Kilinarden area of Tallaght, Dublin 24.
During the search of the vehicle investigating members seized a quantity of a substance believed to be cocaine and a quantity of another substance believed to be heroin (both pending analysis). The sole occupant of the car, a 24 year old male, was arrested on suspicion of possession of controlled drugs and is currently detained under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996, at Tallaght Garda Station.
As a result of these seizures follow up searches were carried out at premises located in Ashbourne and Rathoath, Co. Meath. In the course of these searches, suspected cocaine and heroin (both pending analysis) with an estimated value of approximately €1.6 million was seized, along with other drug related paraphernalia.
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On Friday, 31st January 2020, an intelligence led operation was conducted by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI), targeting persons suspected to be involved in serious and organised crime who operate at an international level. A 40 year old male, who is an Irish national, was arrested in Dundalk, Co. Louth, in respect of a suspected breach of the provisions of section 20, Passport Act, 2008.
The male was conveyed to Dundalk Garda station, where he remains detained.
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Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll, head of Special Crime Operations (SCO), said:
“The operational activity undertaken by the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau, in the first month of 2020, has resulted in the seizure of ten firearms accompanied by 2,000 rounds of ammunition; over €600,000 in cash and drugs to an estimated value of €1.6 million.”
“The results to date in 2020, represents significant success achieved in tackling organised crime and another step in pursuing our ambition to dismantle those organised crime groups that are causing harm within our communities.”
