Gardaí attached to the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigations (GNBCI) have arrested five men, aged between 35 and 55 years, today 30th June 2020 for the offence of participation in a criminal organisation contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006.
The arrests are the latest development in an ongoing operation lead by GNBCI with support from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
The five arrested males are currently detained under the provisions of Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 at Carrick-on-Shannon, Longford and Roscommon Garda Stations.
These arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into a number of persons engaged in offences of organised deception and fraudulent practices, involving the tampering of identification passports and microchips of horses presented for slaughter in this jurisdiction.
Previous press release on this matter refers (issued 6th June, 2019)
This morning, the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation assisted by officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland are conducting planned searches at locations in Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo, Westmeath and Kilkenny. A total of seven (7) sites are being searched including farms, houses and a commercial premises.
The searches are part of an ongoing investigation being conducted by members of The Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation into offences of deception pursuant to Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Offences Act, 2001 surrounding fraudulent practices regarding tampering of identification passports and microchips of horses presented for slaughter in this jurisdiction.
This is a Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation led operation supported by officers from, Criminal Assets Bureau, Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau.
For operational reasons and as this is a search and evidence gathering phase of an ongoing investigation, An Garda Síochána will not be commenting further at this time.
