NINE MEN were in custody in Limerick last night as part of an operation against gangland crime in the city. Up to 130 gardaí were involved in a search operation which began early yesterday.
Gardaí from a number of units, including the recently deployed Emergency Response Unit, swooped on homes at Hyde Road, Weston, Lenihan Avenue and Dooradoyle during the operation, which got under way at 7am.
Senior gardaí from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Garda National Immigration Bureau and the Regional Response Unit were also involved.
The operation was carried out under new legislation introduced to tackle criminal gangs, and follows the recent decision by Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy to deploy the ERU to Limerick.
Yesterday’s operation was led by Chief Supt David Sheehan of Limerick, who described it as a “major offensive against criminal activity in the city”.
The arrested men range in age from their 20s to 40s.