I am informed by the Garda authorities that they have no reason to believe that organised criminal gangs in Ireland are supplying firearms for criminal purposes to persons in other jurisdictions.
One of the priorities I have set for An Garda Síochána in 2009 is the targeting of serious crime, in particular organised, gun and drug related crime. The Garda Policing Plan for 2009 consequently contains a series of measures aimed at reducing the impact of crime and criminal behaviour. These goals are backed up by strategic actions which include a commitment to continue and intensify intelligence-led operations against groups and individuals engaged in criminality.
An Garda Síochána maintains close liaison with other law enforcement agencies throughout Europe and elsewhere, exchanging information and intelligence, including on Irish criminals living abroad. This ongoing liaison has led to a number of successful joint operations, targeting attempted importations of drugs and firearms and resulting in a number of significant arrests here and in other jurisdictions.
Where intelligence, supported by evidence, is available, law enforcement agencies in other jurisdictions put operations in place, as appropriate, to prevent and detect such criminality. Where information exists that a person who is wanted in relation to a particular crime in this jurisdiction is living abroad and the relevant legal requirements are met, a European Arrest Warrant is applied for or extradition is sought.
Operations against organised criminal gangs operating in this jurisdiction are undertaken on an ongoing basis. The members of such gangs and their operating methods, criminal interests and financial assets are the subject of such operations, which are primarily undertaken by specialist units of An Garda Síochána, including the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Garda National Drugs Unit, the Organised Crime Unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau.
In particular, Operation Anvil commenced in the Dublin Metropolitan Region in 2005 to deal with serious crime, including murder and other violent crime, and was extended nationwide in 2006. The primary focus of the Operation is the targeting of active criminals and their associates involved in serious crime by preventing and disrupting their criminal activity through extensive additional overt patrolling and static checkpoints by uniform, mobile and foot patrols, supported by armed plain clothes patrols.
Under Operation Anvil, up to 22 March, 2009, 2,400 firearms have been recovered. There have also been over 7,000 arrests for serious crimes such as murder, serious assault, robbery and burglary and over 70,000 searches for weapons, drugs and stolen goods. In this way, the Gardaí will continue to address the issue of illegal guns relentlessly.