More than €8 million worth of drugs were seized in Ireland as part of a joint investigation by the Garda and Polish police.
The joint investigation team was established in January 2022 to target a network of transnational Polish criminal organisations with leadership, transport and distribution cells based in Ireland, Poland and Spain.
“These organisations were identified to be co-ordinating the importation of cannabis at a significant scale in to Ireland as well as other European jurisdictions,” a statement from An Garda Síochána said.
During these investigations, more than €8 million of controlled drugs were seized in Ireland, with assistance from Revenue’s customs service.
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Some 340kg of cannabis herb, 155kg of cannabis resin and 26kg of amphetamines were seized. More than €800,000 in cash was also seized.
Thirteen Polish nationals based in Ireland were arrested.
“Evidence provided by Ireland was shared with prosecutors in Poland and, as part of the joint investigation team, a number of the prosecution cases in Ireland were transferred to Poland for prosecution as part of larger organised crime prosecutions in the Polish jurisdiction,” a Garda statement noted.
In total, more than 800kg of controlled drugs, seven firearms and several hundred rounds of ammunition were seized across a number of European jurisdictions.
Charges have been filed against 170 individuals in Poland by the district prosecutor’s office in Gliwice. Assets worth more than €11 million were seized by Polish investigators across Europe as being the proceeds of crime.
Detective Superintendent Dave Gallagher of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau said: “This investigation again shows the international dimensions of transnational organised crime and demonstrates fully the benefits of our ongoing collaboration with law enforcement in other jurisdictions.
“Such investigations co-ordinated via Europol and Eurojust continue to disrupt, prosecute and dismantle transnational criminal organisations impacting on communities in Ireland and across Europe.”
