Trawler raids revealed no evidence of trafficking

The Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald has confirmed high-profile raids by gardaí and other agencies on 41 trawlers in Cork and Dublin found no evidence of human trafficking or labour exploitation at any location.

In October, armed gardaí accompanied by members of the Garda Dog Unit as well as officials from Revenue and Customs and officials from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) raided 41 trawlers in Castletownbere in Co Cork, Howth in Dublin and offshore.

The manner of the morning raids in the initiative codenamed ‘Operation Eggshell’ on 22 fishing vessels in Castletownbere, 16 in Howth and three offshore was criticised by the Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) which made a formal complaint to GSOC.