A joint operation has led to the arrest of twelve suspected members of what authorities are describing as a ‘high-risk Irish criminal network’ in parts of Ireland and Spain.
Europol said that the authorities were successfully able to carry out the arrests of six people in Ireland and six people in Spain.
A series of coordinated raids took place with cooperation between La Guardia Civil and An Garda Síochána.
Detainees are suspected of large-scale drug trafficking in a sophisticated operation, involving transporting significant quantities of drugs concealed in vehicles which were moved between Spain and Ireland.
Five arrests were made on Monday. A sixth man was arrested later and remains in custody pending further investigation. The men involved are said to be aged in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.
All six are suspected of being involved with a major drug trafficking operation known as ‘The Family’.
The gang is suspected by Gardaí of being one of the main suppliers of heroin and cocaine into Ireland.
The arrests were made on suspicion of facilitating, assisting or conspiring with an organised crime group and the six men detained are being held under anti-gang legislation, which means that they can be questioned for up to a week.
As well as officers from Europol, La Guardia Civil and An Garda Síochána, members of the @ON Network were also involved in the arrests.
Gardaí assisted Spanish authorities in dismantling a Ghost encrypted communication platform deployed by ‘The Family’ to attempt conducting their business in secret last year.
