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04/09/2008
Dutch Arrests Thwart Irish Gun And Drug Operation
Dutch police have now arrested three men and a woman as part of an international investigation into an Irish crime gang.
Coming after earlier news that Irish police have arrested two more men in what has become a cross-Europe operation targeting organised crime, this is further good news for the police.
The PSNI has confirmed it understands that four people were arrested as initially reported by Associated Press, who said more than 150 guns were found in an office building in Amsterdam at the time of the arrests today.
The events began earlier this week, with one man was arrested in Belfast and another in Dublin as part of the operation against a drugs and weapon smuggling network.
The PSNI have already seized 14 pistols and separately arrested a 34-year-old man in Belfast's Europa Hotel, while gardai seized 27 other firearms in the Republic and heroin (pictured here) worth about £3.25m at the same time as a 42-year-old man was detained in north Dublin by Garda officers.
But, on Wednesday, another two men in their 30s were arrested in Birr, Co Offaly and Roscrea, County Tipperary by gardai.
They are now being detained at Blanchardstown Garda Station under Section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act.
The man arrested in Northern Ireland on Tuesday was also from the Republic.
He was arrested as part of the overall operation and the guns were uncovered at a separate location.
Dutch police were also thought to have been involved in the operation.
Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said the arrests had damaged a powerful European drugs trafficking network.
"We believe that this operation has made significant inroads into an international organised crime gang involved on a large scale in the importation of drugs and firearms into Ireland and the United Kingdom," he said.
Detectives suspect a leading and well-known Irish criminal, presently serving a prison sentence in the Republic, may have been connected to the drugs and gun running operation.
Gardai said last night that a "mini-arsenal of weapons was taken off the streets" including four automatic handguns, silencers and pistols.
Gardai, the PSNI and Dutch police were all involved in the intelligence and surveillance-led operation which has run for several months.
The overall investigation has apparently been well planned and has been ongoing for some time and involved close liaison between An Gardai Siochana, the Dutch police service, the UK's HMRC and its Irish opposite number, the Irish Revenue Commissioners
See: Arrests Halt International Gun And Drug Operation
(BMcC/KMcA)
Coming after earlier news that Irish police have arrested two more men in what has become a cross-Europe operation targeting organised crime, this is further good news for the police.
The PSNI has confirmed it understands that four people were arrested as initially reported by Associated Press, who said more than 150 guns were found in an office building in Amsterdam at the time of the arrests today.
The events began earlier this week, with one man was arrested in Belfast and another in Dublin as part of the operation against a drugs and weapon smuggling network.
The PSNI have already seized 14 pistols and separately arrested a 34-year-old man in Belfast's Europa Hotel, while gardai seized 27 other firearms in the Republic and heroin (pictured here) worth about £3.25m at the same time as a 42-year-old man was detained in north Dublin by Garda officers.
But, on Wednesday, another two men in their 30s were arrested in Birr, Co Offaly and Roscrea, County Tipperary by gardai.
They are now being detained at Blanchardstown Garda Station under Section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act.
The man arrested in Northern Ireland on Tuesday was also from the Republic.
He was arrested as part of the overall operation and the guns were uncovered at a separate location.
Dutch police were also thought to have been involved in the operation.
Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said the arrests had damaged a powerful European drugs trafficking network.
"We believe that this operation has made significant inroads into an international organised crime gang involved on a large scale in the importation of drugs and firearms into Ireland and the United Kingdom," he said.
Detectives suspect a leading and well-known Irish criminal, presently serving a prison sentence in the Republic, may have been connected to the drugs and gun running operation.
Gardai said last night that a "mini-arsenal of weapons was taken off the streets" including four automatic handguns, silencers and pistols.
Gardai, the PSNI and Dutch police were all involved in the intelligence and surveillance-led operation which has run for several months.
The overall investigation has apparently been well planned and has been ongoing for some time and involved close liaison between An Gardai Siochana, the Dutch police service, the UK's HMRC and its Irish opposite number, the Irish Revenue Commissioners
See: Arrests Halt International Gun And Drug Operation
(BMcC/KMcA)
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08 September 2008
Cross-Border Operation Hailed A Success
Police chiefs on both sides of the border have hailed the success of a major international operation to defeat a drug and gun smuggling ring. The PSNI Chief Constable has claimed a massive arsenal of weapons and ammunition destined for criminal gangs in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic was 'large enough to start a war'.
Cross-Border Operation Hailed A Success
Police chiefs on both sides of the border have hailed the success of a major international operation to defeat a drug and gun smuggling ring. The PSNI Chief Constable has claimed a massive arsenal of weapons and ammunition destined for criminal gangs in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic was 'large enough to start a war'.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:The day will be very windy with strong to gale force westerly winds becoming occasionally severe along the north coast. Sunny spells will be interspersed with scattered showers. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:West to northwest gale force winds, severe along the north coast, will continue overnight. Frequent showers persist, merging into longer periods of rain at times and turning wintry. Minimum temperature 1 °C.
