The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) has seized a “substantial” quantity of land and several out buildings at a number of locations in Co. Leitrim as part of an organised crime investigation.
The seizures were part of an operation which also saw seizures in other counties.
On foot of High Court applications under the Proceeds of Crime Acts, CAB took possession of a range of assets as part of work to dismantle a Co. Longford-based organised crime group involved in the sale and supply of drugs, and “serious feud related activity in Ireland”.
According to Gardaí, substantial land and several out buildings were taken possession of by CAB at three locations in Co. Leitrim.
Apart from that, CAB also carried out two other seizures as part of the same investigation, in Elliston, Co. Kildare and Ardnacassa, Co. Longford.
As part of the Co. Longford seizure, a double-axel Tuffmac trailer was also taken by CAB.
Gardaí said that the property seized will eventually be sold by private treaty or public auction and the proceeds of the sales handed over to the exchequer, along with all other cash and money generated from the sale of goods seized.
In the past 12 months, CAB has sold 24 properties of various types. This is the highest number in a 12 month-period since the bureau was established in 1996.
Organised crime
Separately, organised crime has hit farmers in rural north Co. Dublin in recent times, as well as other areas.
Last month, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) called for the establishment of a dedicated ‘Rural Crime Unit’ within An Garda Síochána to deal with thefts of machinery and equipment from farms.
Alice Doyle, the IFA’s deputy president, called on farmers, contractors and machinery owners to take urgent and immediate actions to protect their property, machinery, tools and equipment, especially GPS equipment.
“It appears that an organised criminal gang has once again set its sights on the farming sector and has targeted farms in Dublin and Wexford,” Doyle said at the time.
In late June and early July, six GPS systems were stolen in Co. Wexford, and one was stolen in north Co. Dublin. The estimated value of the stolen equipment is in the region of €100,000.