Case No. 2498Organised crime (unspecified) · Co. Louth
Two men charged in organised crime investigation in County Louth under Operation Stratus
Two men in their 20s were charged by Gardaí in Drogheda as part of Operation Stratus, targeting organised criminal activity in County Louth, and were due to appear at Dundalk District Court on 23 January 2025.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested21 Jan
2 reports - Charged23 Jan
2 reports - In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports36 statements extracted from the articles
- whatTwo men were arrested during the operation (garda.ie)
- whatBoth men were in their 20s (garda.ie)
- whatNine addresses were searched in Drogheda (garda.ie)
- whatTwo males were arrested in a dawn raid in Drogheda on Tuesday 21 January 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOne of the arrested men is a key lieutenant of one of the main feuding gangs in Drogheda (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe key lieutenant is in his 20s and has spent time behind bars for a serious offence (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe second male is also in his 20s and is a close associate of the same feuding gang (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe gang has been at war with associates of paralysed mob boss Owen Maguire for several years (irishmirror.ie)
- whatNine properties were searched as part of the investigation (irishmirror.ie)
- whatTwo men in their 20s were arrested in a dawn raid in Co Louth on Tuesday 21 January 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe pair are suspected of assisting the gang leader, money laundering and unlawful possession of drugs (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCannabis valued at €360,000 was seized by Customs officers following the search of a man at Dublin Airport (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOver €800,000 worth of cannabis was seized at Gardermoen Airport in Oslo, Norway (irishmirror.ie)
- whatTwo men both aged in their 20s were charged by Gardaí in Drogheda (garda.ie)
- whatThe charges are part of ongoing investigations targeting organised criminal activity in County Louth (garda.ie)
- whereThe investigation covers the Drogheda area and surrounding areas (garda.ie)
- whereBoth men are detained at stations in the Garda North Western Region (garda.ie)
- whenThe search operation was conducted on Tuesday, 21 January 2025 (garda.ie)
- investigationThe operation was part of Operation Stratus, an ongoing investigation into organised criminal activity and the sale and supply of drugs and associated money laundering (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí attached to the Divisional Drug Unit conducted the search (garda.ie)
- investigationThe operation was assisted by the Drogheda, Dundalk and Ardee Detective Units, the Armed Response Unit and the Emergency Response Unit (garda.ie)
- investigationThe operation is called Operation Stratus, an ongoing investigation into organised criminal activity and the sale and supply of drugs and associated money laundering in the Drogheda area (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe arrests were carried out by gardai attached to the Divisional Drug Unit (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe Divisional Drug Unit was assisted by the Drogheda, Dundalk and Ardee Detective Units, the Armed Response Unit and the Emergency Response Unit (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationNine properties were targeted in early morning raids by Gardaí (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe raids were part of Operation Stratus, an ongoing investigation into organised criminal activity and the sale and supply of drugs and associated money laundering in the Drogheda area (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí previously charged four women in December 2024, one man in November 2024, and eight individuals in October 2024 as part of the same operation (garda.ie)
- investigationInvestigations into the organised criminal activity are ongoing (garda.ie)
- chargeThe men face charges of organised crime, money laundering and drugs offences (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeA total of 14 women and one man, close associates of the feuding gang, have already been charged with money laundering offences (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeOne female has been charged with facilitating the activities of the crime gang and drug importation (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeAnother female has been charged with enhancing the ability of the crime gang to launder money as well as drug importation (irishmirror.ie)
- courtBoth men are detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 (garda.ie)
- courtBoth males remained detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 at stations in the Garda North Western Region (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe two men are due before Dundalk District Court on Thursday 23 January 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe two men are scheduled to appear before Dundalk District Court on 23 January 2025 at 10.30am (garda.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 23 Jan2025Update: Operation Stratus: Two men charged to appear at Dundalk District Court 23rd January 2025
Reports the charging of two men in their 20s under Operation Stratus in County Louth, noting previous charges of four women in December 2024, one man in November 2024, and eight individuals in October 2024 as part of the same operation.
suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 20s, male - 23 Jan2025Two close associates of Drogheda mob boss in court on organised crime charges
Reports the arrest and court appearance of two associates of a Drogheda mob boss, details of the nine-property raid, and the broader Operation Stratus investigation including prior charges against 16 associates and two major cannabis seizures.
suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 20s, malesuspect - 21 Jan2025Two males arrested and nine properties searched Drogheda
Identifies one of the arrested men as a key lieutenant of a feuding gang in Drogheda and the second as a close associate of the same gang, which has been at war with associates of paralysed mob boss Owen Maguire for several years. Confirms nine properties were searched and that the arrests were carried out by the Divisional Drug Unit with assistance from multiple detective units.
suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 20s, male - 21 Jan2025Arrests: Search Operation, Organised Criminal Activity, Co Louth – 21st January, 2025
Reports the initial arrest and search operation details, including the number of addresses searched, the units involved, and the legal basis for detention.
suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 20s, male