I have requested a report from the Garda authorities on the matter raised by the Deputy and I will be in contact again when that report is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A:
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 130 for answer on 13 December 2016, in which you requested a report on details of Garda Operations Clave and Scale.
As you may recall, I indicated that I would request a report from the Garda authorities on this matter and contact you again upon receipt of that report.
I have now been advised by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána's Operation Clave commenced in February 2016. The Operation is run by An Garda Síochána in the Kilkenny/Carlow Division in partnership with the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
Operation Clave aims to combat the sale and supply of drugs in the Kilkenny/Carlow Division and has resulted to date in the arrest of 38 persons, with charges being preferred against 34 persons. These matters remain before the Courts.
I am further informed that An Garda Síochána's Operation Scale which is an ongoing co-ordinated crime prevention and crime reduction operation commenced in October 2015. The operation utilises high-visibility policing in a co-ordinated and structured way in order to disrupt the activities of organised criminal gangs who are suspected of being involved in serious crime in the Dundalk Garda District of An Garda Síochána's Louth Division.
As part of this initiative, An Garda Síochána is working closely with other State agencies in this jurisdiction and also with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to ensure that all facets of criminality are being targeted.
It is estimated that as a result of Operation Scale, as at the end of November 2016, assets valued in excess of €1 million and which are believed to be the proceeds of crime have been identified, targeted and seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau. Over 5,000 checkpoints had been conducted as part of the high-visibility roads policing initiative which is in place under the operation and almost €300,000 worth of drugs has been seized. In addition, property valued in excess of €65,000 has been recovered by An Garda Síochána, with four firearms and a quantity of ammunition also seized, to date.
As of 28 January 2017, Operation Scale has resulted in 147 arrests for offences including; burglary, public order, traffic-related and driving under the influence, theft-related and drug-related offences with 578 charges being preferred/summonses issued. Seventy four convictions have been recorded to date, with some incidents remaining under investigation and directions from the Law Officers awaited in others.
Garda authorities have advised that Operation Scale is continuing to have a significant impact on reducing crime, particularly burglaries, in the Dundalk and wider County Louth hinterland.
I trust that this is of assistance.
