Gardaí have raided a number of houses and businesses of people suspected of aiding alleged IRA money-laundering operations.
The searches were carried out in Counties Dublin, Meath, Wicklow and Louth. Among the 20 properties raided were solicitor's and accountant's offices, a well-known Dublin city centre hotel and a number of Dublin pubs.
It is understood the homes of at least three company directors were also targeted. New housing developments, including a venture in Meath and apartments in Dublin, are also under investigation.
The raids, which concluded yesterday, were led by a number of Garda units including the Criminal Assets Bureau, the National Fraud Bureau and the Special Branch. Up to 100 officers were involved.
A number of files, computers, laptops and disks that were seized are now being examined by forensic experts. There were no arrests.
The investigation into IRA money-laundering intensified last year with the launch of Operation Phoenix.
Gardaí have also been working closely with the PSNI and police in Britain following the £26 million Northern Bank robbery in Belfast in December 2004 that was blamed on the IRA.
The Labour Party's justice spokesman Joe Costello welcomed the raids. "The IRA have ceased their armed activity and must now halt all criminal activity," he said.
"No stone must be left unturned in the battle against illegal money laundering."