Man arrested at Dublin airport as part of fraud investigation

Man (20s) had been detained in Romania on foot of European Arrest Warrants

The man was subsequently charged and is expected to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Saturday. Photograph: iStock
The man was subsequently charged and is expected to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Saturday. Photograph: iStock

Gardaí have arrested a man at Dublin airport as part of Operation OMENA, an investigation into a criminal organisation involved in fraudulent selling on second hand websites across Europe.

Those involved are also suspected of subsequent laundering of the proceeds through a network of bank accounts opened with the use of false identities and money mules.

On Friday evening officers attached to the Garda Economic Crime Bureau arrested a man in his 20s who had been detained in Romania on foot of European Arrest Warrants.

He was subsequently charged and is expected to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Saturday.

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Gardaí estimate the criminal organisation they are investigating as part of Operation OMENA has stolen over €22 million from victims all over Europe up to the end of 2020 and laundered almost €6.8 million through bank accounts in Ireland between 2017 and 2020.

Mark Hilliard

Mark Hilliard

Mark Hilliard is a reporter with The Irish Times