Gardai seize 29 vehicles as part of investigation into organised crime

GARDAI seized up to 29 vehicles on Thursday, March 20, as part of a major ongoing investigation into an organised crime group based in South Dublin.

A total of 29 vehicles were seized from a business in South County Dublin, as was evidence relating to drugs related money-laundering, and fraud offences.

Further freezing orders have been placed on company accounts, freezing approximately €200,000 suspected to be the proceeds of crime.

Numerous residential properties were searched in Dublin and Longford in an operation by gardai attached to Terenure Divisional Drugs Unit, supported by the Serious Crime units in Terenure, Crumlin and Sundrive Road and the Tallaght and Sundrive Road Divisional Drugs Units.

The estimated value of the vehicles seized is between €500,000 and €600,000.

Previous busts in relation to this operation include two arrests and the seizure of €3.1 million of cocaine and €353,000 in cash in February 2024, as part of investigations into a drug trafficking network based in the DMR and Eastern Region.

In October, gardai in Terenure and Sundrive arrested three men (aged in their 60s, 30s and 20s) in relation to organised criminal activity in the South Dublin and Eastern Regions.

The investigation targets persons suspected of being involved in drug trafficking, money laundering and drug related intimidation as part of a criminal organisation.

Meanwhile, in May 2024, gardai made a total of 42 searches (38 private residences, three business premises’ and a safety deposit box), the majority in the DMR South region, with a number of searches also conducted in DMR West, DMR North Central, DMR South Central, and in Kildare.

In total, €263,500 in cash was seized, in addition to a Volkswagen Golf GTI (valued at approximately €40,000), a Mercedes CLA Estate (valued at approximately €40,000), and a Citreon Dispatch (valued at approximately €5,000 and containing a specially made concealed compartment in the floor of the van for transporting drugs/cash/firearms).

Bank drafts for €40,000, deeds for three Spanish properties, two cash counting machines and a number of designer watches were also seized.
Gardai say investigations are ongoing.