Garda from the Garda National Drug Unit and the Garda Organised Crime Unit (OCU) along with assistance from the Local Drug Units carried out 7 searches in the Dublin and Meath areas today.
During the course of the searches a male in his 30’s and a male in his 40’s were arrested. They are both being detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at Blanchardstown Garda Station.
These searches were conducted as part of Operation Majesty.
Background:
Operation Majesty is an international investigation being led by the Garda National Drugs Unit (GNDU) into the trafficking of controlled substances into Ireland; Gardaí have been working closely with Dutch, German and UK authorities in relation to the activities of one particular Dutch based organised crime gang (OCG) with strong Irish connections. It is believed that this particular gang has been responsible for the exportation of cannabis from The Netherlands into Ireland and the UK via the postal system. This gang has been subject to investigation by the Organised Crime Squad, Rotterdam.
On the 25th of May 2012 Gardaí in the South West recovered:
- 28 Grenades
- 1 Israeli made Submachine Gun
- 1 American made Submachine Gun
- 1 Italian made 9mm pistol
- 1 Belgian made 9mm pistol with silencer
- 321 rounds of assorted ammunition
- 52 kgs cannabis (market value €1 million)
Two males, a 36 years and a 46 years, were arrested, charged and are currently before the courts.
Enquiries carried out by Gardai, assisted by the PSNI identified that the suspect drugs consignment had been delivered by courier company from The Netherlands via Germany, England and Northern Ireland. In June 2012 PSNI officers arrested and charged one male in relation to the storage of the drugs seized by Gardai in the South West, prior to the consignment being collected.
In March 2013 Dutch Police stopped and searched a Dutch transport vehicle carrying two Irish registered vehicles and discovered approx €140k concealed in the tyres of these vehicles – one person was arrested.
Three suspect consignments destined for Irish OCG were intercepted by the Dutch authorities and all three contained cannabis herb (approximately 20 kgs €400k).
In May 2013 Dutch Police raided a premises in Moerdijk, The Netherlands; they also arrested several suspects and
- Seized approx €2 million cash
- Seized 20 High value vehicles including 1 Rolls Royce, 3 Bentleys and 6 Harley Davidsons
- Discovered 50 to 60 suspect bank a/c’s, all have been frozen.
- Seized 40 mobile/blackberry phones.
- Seized 40 kgs cannabis herb (market value €800k)
- Seized drug ledgers detailing the movements of controlled drugs between The Netherlands and Ireland
It has been established that this OCG was also sending consignments of drugs via Germany for onward shipment to Ireland
Photographs of items seized in Ireland and by the Dutch Authorities (previously released by them) are available on request by e-mail from the Garda Press Office pressoffice@garda.ie
