Over €100,000 of cash, jewellery and stolen car seized in operation targeting crime group

Muireann Duffy

Over €150,000 worth of cash, stolen vehicle parts, jewellery and watches have been seized following a major operation in Co Westmeath targetting the activities of an Eastern European organised crime group.

Seven properties were searched in Mullingar on Tuesday, during which €104,500 in cash was discovered.

A number of stolen vehicle parts, jewellery and watches with an estimated value of around €50,000 were also found during the searches.

A number of financial accounts containing over €80,000 were also frozen as part of the operation.

A man aged in his 40s and a woman in her 30s were arrested in connection with the seizures and were held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

The pair have since been released without charge and a file will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In follow-up searches on Wednesday morning, three further properties in Mullingar were searched.

A stolen car was recovered at one of the properties, and a man in his 20s has since appeared in court over the matter.

Gardaí said investigations are ongoing.