Gardaí carry out fishing fraud raids

Dozens of gardaí today carried out raids in four counties as part of a probe into alleged fraud in the fishing industry.

Officers from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation swooped on premises in Co Donegal, Galway, Cork and Kerry.

The premises raided at 7am included fishing vessels, fishing agents, co-ops, company offices and private homes.

Gardaí seized documentation during the operation and an incident room has now been set up in Killybegs Garda Station.

The operation is part of a investigation which began last month after a Donegal fisherman claimed he had evidence of falsified documentation on fish catches by vessels in Killybegs.

Mr Pat Cannon also alleged that Department of Marine officials may be involved.

He had detailed the claims in a series of letters to the Department of the Marine and to the European Commission in Brussels.

Minister Noel Dempsey informed the Cabinet of the allegations and he subsequently handed over department files to the gardaí.

The European Commission may also decide to carry out its own probe into the irregularities pending the outcome of the Garda investigation.