Ireland Eight people to appear in court over organised crime group investigation
Gardaí arrested and charged eight people, three women and five men, in an investigation into an organised crime group with transnational links, with arrests made the night of 23 June 2026 in Cork, Laois and Carlow. The investigation, led by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau as part of Operation Tara, began in November 2024 and followed earlier arrests and searches between February and April 2026. Sources differ on how the eight are split between courts: four arrested people were due before district courts in Carlow, Tullamore and Fermoy on 24 June 2026, and other men before courts in Dublin, Thurles and Carlow. The latest reported development is that all eight were due before courts at different locations on 24 June 2026.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Charged1 Jun
- In court24 Jun
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Gardaí arrested and charged eight people, three women and five men, as part of an investigation into an organised crime group.
- The arrests were part of Operation Tara, a nationwide initiative targeting drug sale and distribution.
- The organised crime group has a transnational element and links with criminal entities abroad.
- Where
- Arrests took place in Cork, Laois and Carlow, and in other counties in the south, the midlands and Dublin.
- When
- The four people arrested in Cork, Laois and Carlow were arrested on the night of 23 June 2026.
- The investigation began in November 2024.
- Investigation
- The investigation is led by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
- Earlier arrests between February and April 2026 were made in the same investigation, with 16 residential and business premises searched and three men and a woman arrested.
- Charges
- Four people were charged, and sources differ on the remaining charges: one says four men and one man in his 30s were charged, while another says four men were due to appear, with ages reported as men in their 40s and one man in his 30s.
- In court
- The four people arrested in Cork, Laois and Carlow were due before Carlow, Tullamore and Fermoy District Courts on 24 June 2026.
- Other men were due to appear before courts in Dublin, Thurles and Carlow on charges linked to the investigation.
- All eight people were due before courts at different locations on 24 June 2026.
- Other details
- The Journal article is listed as dated 1 June 2026, but its published time is 10.08am on 24 June 2026.
23 statements extracted from the articles
- whatGardaí arrested and charged eight people as they investigate an organised crime group with international links. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe arrests were part of Operation Tara, a nationwide anti-drug dealing initiative. (thejournal.ie)
- whatGardaí targeting drug sale and distribution arrested a number of people around the country, including one in Laois. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatThe arrests relate to an organised crime group with links to criminals overseas. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whereThe arrests took place in multiple counties in the south, the midlands and Dublin. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe investigation began in November 2024. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThree women and one man were arrested the night before the statement in Cork, Laois and Carlow. (thejournal.ie)
- whenFour people were arrested in Laois, Cork and Carlow the night before the article was published. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is led by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe arrests were part of Operation Tara and wider investigations into organised crime. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is being carried out by the GNDOCB and has been ongoing since November 2024. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationEarlier arrests between February and April 2026 were made in the same investigation. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationIn the earlier operation, 16 residential and business premises were searched and three men and a woman were arrested. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- chargeThe four people arrested in Cork, Laois and Carlow were charged in relation to an ongoing investigation into an organised crime group. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeFour people were charged in relation to an ongoing investigation into an organised crime group. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtThe four people arrested in Cork, Laois and Carlow were due before courts in Carlow, Tullamore and Fermoy. (thejournal.ie)
- courtFour men aged in their 40s and one man aged in his 30s were also to appear in courts in Dublin, Thurles and Carlow on charges related to the investigation. (thejournal.ie)
- courtEight people were due before courts at different locations on 24 June 2026. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtThe four arrested people were due before Carlow, Tullamore and Fermoy District Courts that morning. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtFour men were due to appear before courts in Dublin, Thurles and Carlow on charges linked to the investigation. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThree women and five men were arrested. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe organised crime group has a transnational element and links with criminal entities abroad. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe organised crime group has a trans-national element linked to criminal entities abroad. (leinsterexpress.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 24 Jun2026Arrest in Laois in connection with trans-national Organised Crime Group
Reports arrests in Laois, Cork and Carlow the previous night, with eight people due in court on 24 June 2026 in connection with one GNDOCB investigation into an organised crime group with overseas links. Also gives background on earlier arrests and searches in the same investigation between February and April 2026.
accused, 30s or 40s, femaleaccused, 30s or 40s, femaleaccused, 30s or 40s, femaleaccused, 30s, maleaccused, 40s, maleaccused, 40s, maleaccused, 40s, maleaccused, 30s, male - 1 Jun2026Gardaí charge eight alleged organised crime group members in nationwide operation
Names the arrest and charge details for the eight people (three women and five men), the counties and courts involved, the investigation's start date (November 2024), that the group has a transnational element, and that earlier arrests were made between February and April 2026.
accused, femaleaccused, femaleaccused, femaleaccused, maleaccused, maleaccused, maleaccused, maleaccused, male