Gardaí targeting organised crime with Polish police confirm 13 arrests of Polish nationals
The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau has been engaged in a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) with Poland, with the agreement signed on 24 January 2022.
Three and a half years into the JIT agreement, it has now reached its conclusion. It said it had evidential cooperation continuing to support prosecutions.
The JIT was primarily established to target a network of transnational Polish criminal organisations with various cells based in Poland, Spain, and Ireland. These organisations had been identified to be coordinating importation of cannabis at a 'significant scale' into Ireland, as well as other European jurisdictions.
Advertisement
Over €8m of controlled drugs were seized in Ireland as a result, with assistance from Revenue. This includes 340kg of cannabis herb, 155kg of cannabis resin, and 26kg of amphetamine. Over €800,000 in cash was also seized.
Thirteen Polish nationals based in Ireland were arrested as part of the investigations into the organised criminal activity.
A number of the prosecution cases in Ireland were transferred to Poland.
In total, over 800kg of controlled drugs, seven firearms, and several hundred rounds of ammunition was seized across a 'number of European jurisdictions'. Charges were filed against 170 individuals in Poland.
Assets worth over €11m have been seized by Polish investigators across Europe as being the proceeds of crime.
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More
Support The Journal
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
5 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Over €8 million drugs seized during organised crime probe
More than €8 million worth of drugs have been seized as part of a joint investigation between gardaí and Polish police. Thirteen Polish nationals based in Ireland were arrested as part of the investigation targeting transnational organised crime. The investigation targeted a network of Polish criminal organisations with "leadership, transport and distribution cells based in Poland, Spain and Ireland", gardaí said. The drugs seized in Ireland included 340kg of cannabis herb, 155kg of cannabis resin and 26kg of amphetamines, as well as over €800,000 in cash. In total, over 800kg of controlled drugs along with seven firearms and several hundred rounds of ammunition were seized across a number of European countries. Police across several European countries were involved in the investigation coordinated by Eurojust and supported by Europol. The gangs were identified to be coordinating the importation of cannabis into Ireland and other European countries. A number of the prosecution cases in Ireland were transferred to Poland for prosecution. Charges have been filed against 170 individuals in Poland by the District Prosecutors Office in Gliwice and assets worth over €11 million have been seized by Polish investigators across Europe as being the proceeds of crime. Detective Superintendent Dave Gallagher of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau said the investigation shows the "international dimensions of transnational crime and demonstrates fully the benefits of our ongoing collaboration with law enforcement in other jurisdictions". He said these investigations continue to "disrupt, prosecute and dismantle transnational criminal organisations".
Irish Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Gardai team up with Polish police to smash massive drugs importation network
Gardaí have teamed up with police in eastern Europe to smash a network of crime gangs that smuggled drugs worth up to €240 million into the EU in just eight years. The gangs were dismantled after Gardaí signed up to run a joint investigation team with Polish police - in an operation that has now seen some 170 people charged there. Cops say the gangs were made up of Polish nationals – including members of a football hooligan outfit - and operated in Poland, Spain and Ireland. The Garda's Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau was heavily involved in the operation, which saw eight of 13 men arrested here sent back to Poland to face criminal charges there. And the probe also saw Gardaí seize some €8 million of cannabis and amphetamines in Ireland – as well as more than €800,000 in cash. Cops believe the gang smuggled 12 tonnes of drugs into the EU (Image: Polish National Police) The joint investigation team between the Garda and Polish police was set up in January 2022 with the assistance of EU crime-fighting body Europol, which oversees investigations involving member states. Gardaí said on Tuesday that the team was set up to target a network of Polish crime organisations with leadership, transport and distribution cells based in Poland, Spain and Ireland. 'These organisations were identified to be coordinating the importation of cannabis at a significant scale into Ireland as well as other European jurisdictions,' the force said. Some of the drugs seized in the operation (Image: Polish National Police) And it added that police forces from several EU countries were involved in the probe. It said: 'During the course of this investigation, extensive cooperation and collaboration was achieved with Law Enforcement agencies across several European Union countries with all international cooperation and coordination facilitated via Eurojust and Europol. 'Across the course of the investigations, over €8 million of controlled drugs have been seized in Ireland, with assistance from our colleagues in the Revenue's Customs Service, including 340kg of cannabis herb, 155kg of cannabis resin and 26kg of amphetamine, as well as over €800,000 in cash. 'Thirteen Polish nationals based in Ireland were arrested as part of the investigations into this organised criminal activity.' Gardaí shared evidence seized here with prosecutors in Poland and a number of cases were transferred from here to the eastern European country for hearing. Some 170 people have now been charged (Image: Polish National Police) Gardaí said 800kg of drugs, along with seven firearms and ammunition, were seized all over Europe. Polish police said in their own statement that officers believe the gangs smuggled in 12,000 kgs of drugs since they became active in 2017. The Polish police said: 'The core of the group involved in the supply of narcotics were Poles residing permanently in Spain, where they organised large-scale shipments of non-fibrous cannabis to more than a dozen European countries, primarily the Republic of Ireland, the Federal Republic of Germany, Austria and Scandinavian countries. "Some of the narcotics also reached Poland. The narcotics were transported in the spare tires of trucks belonging to Polish forwarding companies, as well as in specially-prepared hiding places or in prepared spaces of delivery vehicles. 'A single shipment contained between 40 and 200 kilogrammes of narcotics. This group had been operating since at least 2017 and introduced no less than a dozen tons of marijuana and other drugs into circulation within the EU.' Seizures made by Gardaí as part of the probe included the seizure of €720,000 of cannabis in Meath and Dublin in February 2021. A cache of drugs seized in the operation (Image: Polish National Police) Officers also seized €1.8 million of cannabis in Cork in March of the same year and €1.63 million of cannabis in Dublin in early 2022. The joint investigation team leader for Ireland, Detective Superintendent Dave Gallagher of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, said on Tuesday: "This investigation again shows the international dimensions of transnational organised crime and demonstrates fully the benefits of our ongoing collaboration with law enforcement in other jurisdictions. "Such investigations coordinated via Europol and Eurojust continue to disrupt, prosecute and dismantle transnational criminal organisations impacting on communities in Ireland and across Europe.' Sign up to the Irish Mirror's Courts and Crime newsletter here and get breaking crime updates and news from the courts direct to your inbox.
The Journal
6 hours ago
- The Journal
Gardaí targeting organised crime with Polish police confirm 13 arrests of Polish nationals
GARDAÍ WORKING WITH Polish police have confirmed that 13 Polish nationals residing in Ireland have been arrested, while a further 170 individuals in Poland have had charges filed against them in an operation targeting organised crime. The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau has been engaged in a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) with Poland, with the agreement signed on 24 January 2022. Three and a half years into the JIT agreement, it has now reached its conclusion. It said it had evidential cooperation continuing to support prosecutions. The JIT was primarily established to target a network of transnational Polish criminal organisations with various cells based in Poland, Spain, and Ireland. These organisations had been identified to be coordinating importation of cannabis at a 'significant scale' into Ireland, as well as other European jurisdictions. Advertisement Over €8m of controlled drugs were seized in Ireland as a result, with assistance from Revenue. This includes 340kg of cannabis herb, 155kg of cannabis resin, and 26kg of amphetamine. Over €800,000 in cash was also seized. Thirteen Polish nationals based in Ireland were arrested as part of the investigations into the organised criminal activity. A number of the prosecution cases in Ireland were transferred to Poland. In total, over 800kg of controlled drugs, seven firearms, and several hundred rounds of ammunition was seized across a 'number of European jurisdictions'. Charges were filed against 170 individuals in Poland. Assets worth over €11m have been seized by Polish investigators across Europe as being the proceeds of crime. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
