An Garda Síochána conducted the operation over the past weekend.
According to a spokesperson from An Garda Síochána, Gardaí from Pearse Street in Dublin conducted an operation in Dublin City Centre on 9 Friday, 10 Saturday and 11 Sunday November 2018.
“The purpose of this operation was to target organised begging within the City Centre. Both uniform and plain clothes Gardaí personal were involved targeting areas in Temple Bar and the Grafton Street areas which attract a large number of visitors,” read the statement.
A total of 46 people were arrested during the three-day operation under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 2011 (Begging). It is expected that all 46 will appear in the Courts of Criminal Justice on Thursday 6 December 2018.
Anyone who; a) controls or directs the actions of another person for the purposes of begging, organises or is materially involved in the organisation of begging by another person, forces another person to beg, or otherwise causes another person to beg, can face serious punishment.
If convicted of organised begging, a defendant can face punishment; on summary conviction to a class A fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both, or on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €200,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or both.
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