AN INVESTIGATION into an organised crime gang dubbed 'one of Ireland's high-risk criminal networks' has resulted in 12 arrests.
In a coordinated series of raids, An Garda Síochána arrested six people in Ireland while Guardia Civil officers detained six others in Spain.
The arrested men are suspected of involvement in large-scale drug trafficking, mainly by transporting drugs hidden in vehicles from Spain to Ireland.
The operation was supported by Europol, the Guardia Civil and the @ON Operational Network (Image: Europol)Gardaí initially arrested five men on Monday, who continue to be detained under the provisions of Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007.
A sixth man, aged in his 50s, was subsequently arrested in the Dublin region for alleged offences contrary to the Criminal Justice Act, 2006 and is being similarly detained.
"An Garda Síochána has also provided support to the Guardia Civil by deploying Garda officers to Spain," read a garda statement today.
"An Garda Síochána is aware that the Guardia Civil have arrest six suspects, directly connected with this international investigation."
Network's structure uncovered
The international organised crime gang, based in West Dublin, coordinated the drug trade using sophisticated communication channels, relying on encryption and multi-platform distribution.
Investigators had previously uncovered the network's alleged activities when it dismantled the Ghost encrypted communication platform in September 2024.
The information gathered provided evidence of individual drug shipments but also helped investigators piece together the network's organisational structure.
The dismantling of the Ghost encrypted communication platform helped uncover the group's organisational structure (Image: Europol)When law enforcement swooped across the continent this week, they were able to trace several Ghost user handles back to members of the criminal network.
The investigation was supported Europol, the Guardia Civil and the EU Commission's @ON Operational Network, which is led by the Italian Antimafia Investigation Directorate.
On the day of action, Europol deployed two experts with mobile offices to Spain and Ireland to provide immediate support in analysing and securing evidence.
See More: An Garda Síochána, Europol, Guardia Civil
