Gardaí raid boats in fishing corruption probe
Officers searched a large number of premises in Galway, Cork and Kerry, as well as in Donegal, in a large-scale, coordinated operation. Detectives targeted fishing vessels, fishing agents, co-ops, company offices and private premises in the raids.
It’s believed up to 100 gardaí were involved in the operation, which was led by the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI) and the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation (GBFI).
“Gardaí have carried out a series of searches on a series of premises in Donegal, Galway, Cork and Kerry as part of the garda investigation into alleged irregularities in the Irish fishing industry,” a garda spokesman said yesterday.
“Gardaí seized documentation during the operation and an incident room has been set up in Killybegs Garda station.”
The investigation, which focused on the major fishing port of Killybegs in Co Donegal, was set up more than a month ago following serious allegations of fraudulent falsification of logbooks by trawlers there.
It has also been claimed officials from the Department of Marine colluded in allowing fishermen exceed their EU quotas.
The allegations, which involve logbooks for at least two Killybegs trawlers being altered to under-represent catches, first surfaced in July when a former skipper on both boats wrote to the department.
In several subsequent meetings with department officials in September, the skipper, Pat Cannon, claimed to have evidence of widespread corruption, facilitated by fisheries officers.
The 44-year-old fisherman also wrote to 12 EU fisheries ministers, the European Commission and the European Court of Justice.
Marine Minister Noel Dempsey handed files detailing the accusations to Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy because of the seriousness of the claims.
A garda team - led by the NBCI - was set up to examine the case, which is also being investigated by the European Commission.
The GBFI was drafted in to assist the NBCI, given the complex nature of the case.
Prior to the raid, gardaí had not gathered any specific evidence to support allegations of collusion involving department officers.
It’s not yet known if any of the documents seized yesterday have changed that situation.
