Organised crime crackdown leads to 6,000 arrests and firearms haul

MORE than 6,000 people have been arrested and 640 firearms confiscated as part of a major crackdown on organised crime.

Over the past 22 months, more than 30,000 searches have been carried out and over €17 million worth of property recovered.

The figures for Operation Anvil were released with just over a month to go before the second anniversary of the special anti-gangland initiative.

The updated figures follow pledges this week from Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy that the number of serious crimes would “definitely” be cut in the coming year.

He said gardaí were now concentrating on catching criminals in possession of firearms and charging them with tough new offences, which carry a mandatory minimum jail term of between five and 10 years.

Operation Anvil was extended throughout the rest of the country during 2006, reflecting the growth of organised crime in regional cities and towns.

Garda figures for the Dublin Metropolitan Region from May 17, 2005, up to March 27, 2007, show:

6,250 arrests, including almost 4,000 in relation to serious crime.

74 arrests in connection with murder and 914 for serious assaults.

2,042 arrests for burglary and 941 for robbery.

30,330 searches, including 26,497 for drugs and 1,543 for firearms, during which 643 firearms were found.

The figures also show that 54,500 checkpoints were carried out, during which 10,520 cars were seized.

A total of €17.2m worth of property was also recovered.

There is no data yet, in relation to the rest of the country.

Releasing the figures, Justice Minister Michael McDowell said the focus of the operation was active criminals and their associated involved in serious crime.

“The operation has proved to be very successful in disrupting their criminal activities of a number of criminal gangs. It has resulted in a number of high-profile arrests and the acquisition of intelligence on the movements of criminals.”

He said this was reflected in the statistics for the fourth quarter of 2006, which showed an increase of 34% in detection for possession of firearms.

He said this contributed to a 3% fall in shooting incidents and a rise in the number of people caught supplying drugs.

Specialist garda units, including the Organised Crime Unit, which is attached to the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations (NBCI) and the Emergency Response Unit, assist local divisions in search operations and checkpoints.

Mr McDowell said the operation outside Dublin was significantly different.

He said they ran over a short period and were designed to address the particular needs of specific areas.

He said a number of operations had been completed, while further operations were ongoing.