Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6497Drug trafficking and money laundering

Two arrested and cash and drugs seized in EU-wide organised crime operation

In January 2024 Gardaí searched three locations in Ireland as part of an international investigation into controlled drug sales and money laundering by an organised criminal group, seizing €34,700 in cash, suspected controlled drugs worth about €5,000, electronic devices and financial documents. Two people were arrested on suspicion of money laundering and terrorist financing offences and were understood to have been held at a Munster Garda station; their ages, sexes and nationalities are not stated. Simultaneous operations in Lithuania and the UK led to five Lithuanian citizens being arrested, one of whom is suspected to be the leader of the group. Across the operation €64,700 in cash and three cars worth over €200,000 were seized. The two people arrested in Ireland have been released and a file is being prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, with no charges reported as of 21 February 2024.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested21 Feb
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Two people were arrested and three locations in Ireland were searched in an international investigation into controlled drug sales and money laundering.
  • The operation targeted an organised criminal group and involved the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and law enforcement authorities from Lithuania and the UK.
When
The searches at three locations in Ireland took place in January 2024, and the case was reported on 20 and 21 February 2024.
Where
The two people arrested in Ireland were understood to have been detained at a Garda station in Munster.
Investigation
  • Gardaí seized €34,700 in cash, suspected controlled drugs worth about €5,000, electronic devices and a number of financial documents during the searches in Ireland.
  • Simultaneous operations in Lithuania and the UK led to five Lithuanian citizens being arrested, one of whom is suspected to be the leader of the organised criminal group.
  • Seven people in total were arrested across the operation: two in Ireland and five Lithuanian citizens in Lithuania and the UK.
  • A total of €64,700 in cash and three cars worth over €200,000 were found and seized across the operation.
Charges
  • The two people in Ireland were arrested on suspicion of money laundering and terrorist financing offences and detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007.
  • No charges against the two people arrested in Ireland were reported as of 21 February 2024.
In court
The two people arrested in Ireland have been released and a file is being prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
8 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatTwo people were arrested and three locations in Ireland were searched in an international investigation into controlled drug sales and money laundering. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whenThe searches at three locations in Ireland took place in January 2024. (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationGardaí seized €34,700 in cash, suspected controlled drugs worth about €5,000, electronic devices and financial documents during the searches. (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationTwo people were arrested on suspicion of money laundering and terrorist financing offences and detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherThe two people were questioned at a Garda station in the south of the country. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherThe two people were released and a file is being prepared for the DPP. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherSimultaneous operations in Lithuania and the UK led to five Lithuanian citizens being arrested, one of whom is suspected to be the leader of an organised criminal group. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherA total of €64,700 in cash and three cars worth over €200,000 were found and seized across the operation. (corkbeo.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 21 Feb2024
    Arrestedcorkbeo.ie, first report
    Two arrested as drugs seized by Gardaí in EU-wide op targetting organised crime

    Reports the Irish part of an EU-wide operation against an organised criminal group, including two arrests, searches and seizures in January 2024, a file to the DPP, and arrests in Lithuania and the UK.

    suspectsuspectsuspect, Lithuanian, non-irishsuspect, Lithuanian, non-irishsuspect, Lithuanian, non-irishsuspect, Lithuanian, non-irishsuspect, Lithuanian, non-irish