Tag Archives: garda

Gardaí targeting the sale and supply of controlled drugs in Ennis have seized cocaine and cannabis following a planned operation today (Thursday). Shortly after midday, members of Clare Drugs Divisional Unit discovered a significant quantity of cocaine, with an estimated value in excess of €60,000, and cannabis, with an estimated value in excess of €20,000, pending analysis, in an open area near Clonmore Road. Follow up searches and investigation are currently taking place and a man in his 30s has been arrested and is currently in custody at Ennis Garda Station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking ) Act 1996.

Gardaí in the Clare Division are actively engaged in the month-long ‘Streetwise’ campaign, which is designed to promote personal safety advice. According to Clare crime prevention officer, Sergeant Joe Downey, this initiative, which is also being promoted at national level, aims to further reduce thefts, robberies and assaults through crime prevention, law enforcement, education and awareness. The campaign focuses on three main segments – planning a night out; protection of mobile phone thefts, which accounts for 65% of thefts and robberies and staying safe from assaults. Sergeant Downey said that particular emphasis will be placed on communicating to the general public a strong personal safety message in advance of and after St Patrick’s Day celebrations. “Our aim will be high-visibility patrolling, crime prevention and engaging with the public, and raising their awareness on methods to prevent such crimes, as thefts and assaults,” he added. Sergeant Downey said people planning a night out should make transport arrangements in advance to get …

A BRAZILIAN native has admitted charges of brothel keeping in Ennis and Limerick, after three Romanian women in their 20s were found to be operating as prostitutes from an Ennis apartment last summer. The court heard that following a surveillance operation, gardaí entered a flat on Bindon Lane in Ennis, where they found a customer having sex with one of the women. Aulicete Camargo Walsh, 53, of Breskabeg, Clarina, County Limerick appeared before Ennis District Court on Wednesday charged with two counts of brothel keeping and one of using a false instrument. She was charged that being the tenant/lessee/occupier/person-in-charge of a premises at 18 Bank Square, Bindon Lane, she knowingly permitted it to be used as a brothel for the purpose of habitual prostitution on May 9 last. She is also charged with using a Portuguese driving licence, which she knew to be a false instrument. The accused is also charged with running a brothel at 6 Crosley House, Dock …

A 32-year-old man is to appear before a sitting of Ennis District Court this morning (Thursday) charged in connection with an armed robbery at a retail outlet in Bunratty, County Clare. An investigation commenced at approximately 2.30pm yesterday when a lone male entered a retail outlet in Blarney armed with a knife. He threatened staff before leaving the scene on foot with a small amount of cash. No one was physically injured during the incident. During a follow up operation involving gardaí attached to Shannon Garda Station, a 32-year-old man was arrested a short time later. A small amount of cash and a knife were recovered. A car was also seized as part of the investigation. The arrested man was taken to Ennis Garda Station where he was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 for questioning. The investigation is ongoing.

TWO people involved in last year’s general election in Clare were referred to gardaí, after a failure to furnish donation statements/statutory declarations. The Standards in Public Office Commission sent 66 files to An Garda Síochána, including ones on Niamh O’Brien, Fís Nua’s candidate for Clare and her election agent, Greim na hEaladh. Ms O’Brien said she actually believed she had returned the required documents and she expects the matter will be sorted out easily. “I actually thought I had returned documents and they didn’t get them. Tony Mulqueen (Commissioner for Oaths) will tell you I was up with him signing them. I’m going to have to fill them out again. I’m not one bit worried about it or bothered about it; it’s not as if there are big, brown envelopes coming my way. I wouldn’t have received anything over €100 so it’s all very basic.” Ms O’Brien said she has spoken to gardaí about the issue in recent days and …

TWO Galway women who were lucky to escape a car accident with their lives this time last year have issued a public thank you to all those involved in rescuing them. The women had to be cut from the wreckage of their car following a collision on the M18 motorway at Dromoland on January 4, 2016. Exactly a year to the date, the women are only returning to work for the first time after a long recovery and one woman continues to receive follow-up treatment. In the letter, the women, who do not wish to be named, state, “It was a miracle we survived. We are fortunate and able to express our gratitude and feel that the wonderful men and women who spend their lives saving others, often go unnoticed. Thanks to you all, we can write this letter.” They said this expression of gratitude and appreciation for the emergency services and the bystanders who remained with them and kept …

GARDAÍ have issued a warning of a recent telephone scam where a male or female caller states they are from Revenue and seeks immediate payment of a tax bill over the phone. The public are advised that the scammers may also give a telephone number to call back, in order for you to give your credit card details. Gardaí have warned that callers making these demands are not calling from Revenue. “An Garda Síochána would like to remind the public to be wary of any contact from an unsolicited source, whether it is by telephone or email. Do not give out your credit/debit card, bank account or PPS number to anyone who makes contact with you over the phone. An Garda Síochána, Revenue, nor any financial institution will ever call you and ask for your PPS number or bank account details,” a garda spokesperson said. If a member of the public receives a call from anyone requesting any personal or …

As we head into the New Year, An Garda Síochána and the RSA are renewing their appeal to drivers to be responsible in relation to drinking and driving. Provisional figures indicate that since December 1, when the Christmas and New Year anti drink driving campaign was launched, there has been an increase of 34% in the number of arrests on suspicion of driving under the influence, a total of 738 compared to 549 for the same period in 2015. An Garda Síochána are warning drivesr that intoxicated driving will continue to be targeted by on a 24/7 basis, including the morning after, and appeal to every driver to be responsible and never, ever drink and drive. Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn said, “Tragically, there have been two fatalities over the past seven days, a motorcyclist on Christmas Day and a driver on St Stephen’s Day. On Christmas day alone 14 drivers were arrested by gardaí on suspicion of intoxicated driving. It …