A significant passport counterfeiting operation was smashed by gardaí in Dublin yesterday following a raid on a flat in south Dublin.
The raid on a Harold's Cross flat at 3.20 p.m. netted gardaí sophisticated counterfeiting equipment and other electronic equipment which was used to produce counterfeit documents.
Forged documents, including passports, and cash were also found.
Gardaí confirmed last night that a 42-year-old Algerian man was arrested following the raid and was detained at Terenure Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
He can be detained for up to 12 hours without being charged.
During the raid, carried out by detective from Rathmines station, some €10,000 in cash was found.
Sophisticated counterfeiting paraphernalia was seized, according to a Garda spokesman.
This equipment included scanners, laser lights, ID stamps, computers, printers and laminating machines, which are typically used in counterfeiting operations.
A number of forged passports and drivers' licences were also discovered. The passports are believed not to be Irish but of several different nationalities.
Gardaí in Terenure have described as the discovery as "significant".
The raid was part of an on-going investigation by gardaí from Rathmines.