Properties In Wicklow Searched As Part Of Operation To Tackle Organised Crime

An Garda Síochána, in conjunction with INTERPOL and Law Enforcement Agencies across 21 countries around the world carried out enforcement activity under Operation JACKAL.

• 3 premises searched in Dublin, Wicklow and Longford
• 9 persons arrested and detained under Organised Crime legislation
• 4 Persons arrested and detained for money laundering offences
• 33 persons arrested and charged for money laundering
• 1 person arrested and charged with gangland offences and money laundering
• 9 incidents of stolen money recovered from foreign bank accounts
• Over €400,000 of stolen monies recovered for Irish companies.

As part of INTERPOL Operation JACKAL a period of international Law Enforcement action was planned to take place across April and May of 2023. 

Led by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB), under Operation SKEIN, in this jurisdiction, due to the volume of arrests/ detentions/ charges in Ireland, the period of action commenced during the 1st Quarter 2023 and culminated in intensified activity during April/ May 2023.

These operations were built on activity previously highlighted by An Garda Síochána in October 2022.

There were three facets to the Ireland plan:

• Conduct searches for evidence
• arrest, detain and question suspects
• arrest and charge suspects where directions have been received from the DPP. 

Due to the volume of reports, cases, suspects, GNECB submit investigative packages to local districts for suspects to be arrested and investigated locally.

The searches and detentions were co-ordinated by the GNECB and included assistance from local Garda units across the country.

The arrests for charging were conducted by GNECB  and local Gardaí in counties including Dublin, Meath, Kildare, Limerick, Kerry, Laois, Longford, Cork.

In addition, GNECB continues to work with financial institutions to put new systems in place for the reporting of money laundering and money mules. The co-operation of financial institutions has been second to none and the success of this operation could not have been achieved without this support.