The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) in conjunction with Gardaí from the Cork City Garda Division, with the assistance of the Garda Emergency Response Unit (ERU), the Southern Region Armed Support Unit, the Garda Stolen Motor Vehicle Investigation Unit, the Garda Mounted Unit, the Garda Dog and Revenue Customs Dog Units, conducted a search operation as part of Operation Thor this morning, Wednesday the 17th of April 2019, targeting the assets and activities of a County Cork based Organised Crime Gang.
Eleven (11) Searches in total were carried out, seven (7) residential premises, one (1) plot of land, and three (3) professional premises (Solicitors and Accountants), all in County Cork.
Five (5) of the residential premises, the plot of land and the three (3) professional searches were conducted under CAB Warrants, Section 14 of the Criminal Assets Bureau Act, 1996, as amended. One (1) of the residential premises was searched under a Theft Warrant, Section 48 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001, and the final one (1) residential search was searched under a Drugs Warrant, Section 26 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977/84.
The following were seized: 10 vehicles including Toyota HI Lux 181, Toyota Hi Lux 2015 UK Registration, 191 Toyota Landcruiser, Ford Focus Sport 181, Ford Focus 191, Ford Transit Pick up 172, 162 Kia and other vehicles.
Cash to the value of €31,500
4 Rolex watches
Documentation in relation to the ownership of assets, financial documentation, mobile phones and electronic storage devices were seized and are currently being examined by CAB experts.
The CAB investigation centres on an Organised Crime Gang made up of members of an extended family based in County Cork, who are involved in Fraud, Theft, Deception, Extortion, Burglaries and in the Sale and Supply of Controlled Drugs.
This Organised Crime Gang use various Paving, Gardening and Landscaping Businesses to target elderly and vulnerable persons to deceive them of money. They use intimidation to instil fear into their victims and charge exorbitant rates for substandard work. They are suspected of extorting large sums of cash from elderly and vulnerable persons for unnecessary work and engage in Theft and Burglary in the areas where they carry out work.
Detective Chief Superintendent Pat Clavin said today, "This morning’s search operation is a significant development in the CAB investigation and is viewed as a major disruption to the activities of this gang".
Photos are available from the Garda Facebook.
