Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 December 2015
85. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on the Garda Síochána Operation Trivium; the number of vehicles seized, the amount of drugs seized, the amount of stolen property recovered and the number of persons arrested and charged, to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43068/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed that Operation Trivium is a multi-agency European initiative focused on foreign and indigenous mobile groups and offenders who utilise road networks to target local communities.
Most recently, Operation Trivium V was conducted in a number of EU Member States, including Ireland, from 23 to 28 November, 2015.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the operation was conducted across each Garda Region with a number of objectives including:
- Disrupting criminality through denying foreign national mobile organised crime groups the use of the road;
- Enhancing levels of trust and confidence in local communities through delivering enforcement and educational activity that is designed to 'tackle criminality not the community'; and
- Ensuring that all avenues of legislation both criminal & civil are considered to disrupt, deter and detect unlawful behaviour.
Over the two day operation -
- 107 vehicles were seized under Section 41(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1994 as amended,
- Drugs currently estimated at a value of €2,730 were seized
- Stolen property valued at €1,969 was recovered
37 people were arrested, 25 of whom were charged with offences such as driving without a driving licence (disqualified drivers), driving under the influence of substances, handling stolen property, drugs offences, offences under the firearms and offensive weapons act and on foot of outstanding warrants.
Of the remaining persons, three files are being prepared for the direction to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, two were arrested on foot of European Arrest Warrants, three are being dealt with by way of summons and four were released without charge following satisfactory enquiries into their immigration status.
