Issue Date: 13 June 2024
An Garda Síochána and Revenue Customs Service conducted a joint operation in the Clifden area on Tuesday 11th June 2024, as part of the Coastal Watch maritime initiative in the Galway Division.
Joint vehicle checkpoints were carried out in Cleggan, Ballyconneely and Roundstone. A number of commercial vehicles were searched.
The Coastal Watch scheme has been in existence for over 30 years and is an interagency co-operation between An Garda Síochána, Revenue's Customs Service and the Irish Naval Service.
Coastal Watch aims to highlight suspicious or unusual activity such as:
- Packages floating in the sea, on beach or hidden close to the shoreline
- Crew making landings in remote areas
- Unusual objects at sea or ashore such as buoys or signalling devices
- Possible unauthorised landings by foreign vessels
- Merchant shipping at anchor close to land or islands
- Ships away from their normal shipping lanes
- Ships signalling ashore or being met by small craft
- Vessels operating at night without lights.
Members of the public are encouraged to report any unusual activity to any of the following numbers:
- Customs Drugs Watch (Confidential Freephone number) - 1800 295 295
- Garda Confidential Line - 1800 666 111
- Emergency Number - 112/999
- Naval Operations Centre - 021 4864707
- Or any Garda Station.
