Nine people have been arrested by gardaí this week on foot of European arrest warrants.
The seven men and two women, aged 28 to 63, were all arrested between Monday, December 21st, and Wednesday, December 23rd as part of a co-ordinated effort from gardaí attached to the Garda Extradition Unit and Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Local members across the country also assisted with the arrests.
Any EU country may issue a European arrest warrant to seek the return of a person who is wanted in that country for a crime. The majority of the arrest warrants acted upon this week were for people wanted in the UK.
Det Supt Michael J Mullen of the Garda Extradition Unit said the "significant" number of arrests represents An Garda Síochána's "ongoing commitment to ensuring persons wanted on international arrest warrants are brought to justice".
Among those arrested was a 63-year-old man in Longford wanted for sexual offences in the UK. Also wanted in the UK was a 32-year-old man in Dublin for participating in a criminal organisation and fraud offences; a 46-year-old man in Dublin for hi-jacking, assault, and criminal damage; a 42-year-old woman in Dundalk, Co Louth, for drugs offences; a 35-year-old woman in Mullingar, Co Westmeath for immigration offences; a 43-year-old man in Galway for perjury and perverting the course of justice; and a 28-year-old man in Dublin for assault and drugs offences.
Wanted in Poland was a 52-year old man in Wexford for fraud offences and a 39-year-old man in Naas, Co Kildare, for false imprisonment and drugs offences.
Each of those arrested appeared before the High Court and are currently remanded to reappear before the High Court on January 8th, a Garda spokeswoman said.
