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03rd Jul 2019

Gardaí seize passports and details of false bank accounts as part of operation against organised crime group

Rudi Kinsella

The group are said to be based in Ireland.

Gardaí have seized false passports, details of false bank accounts and equipment in relation to a number of bank accounts that are said to have laundered €1.5 million in the past year.

Gardaí from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB), in conjunction with Europol, Eurojust and other EU police forces, have been conducting an investigation into an Organised Crime Group involved in cyber based frauds including bogus online sales and accommodation frauds where people throughout the EU are duped into purchasing goods online, but the goods are not delivered.

The money involved is then laundered through bank accounts set up in Ireland under a number of false names.

It is estimated that in excess of €1.5 million has been laundered through these accounts in the past year.

As part of this ongoing investigation previous arrests were made in Finland and Ireland.

GNECB conducted three searches in the Dublin area, and found false passports, details of false bank accounts, equipment (laptops, phones, prints, laminators) suspected of use in the manufacture of these false passports along with an amount of cash was seized.

One male has been arrested under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 and he is currently detained under the provisions of Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 at Coolock Garda Station.

Images from the seizure can be seen here:

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