Several arrests in crackdown on North Cork fraudsters

Gardai made several arrests last week under Operation Boxplot, which targets criminal organisation based in the North Cork area believed to be laundering the proceeds of international invoice re-direct (BEC) fraud through bank accounts in Ireland.

It is understood that the individuals, who have since been released without charge, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in a spate of organised crime throughout County Cork and beyond, including organised begging, thefts and exchange scams from their bases in the Fermoy area.

Invoice-redirect fraud involves crime gangs tricking companies into lodging money into accounts controlled by the criminals. Invoices purporting to come from a company’s trading partner are sent by the crime gang to trick their victims into paying money into accounts that the gangs control.

Four men were arrested by gardai attached to the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) on Thursday morning last, April 15. A number of planned searches were carried out in Cork, Tipperary and Roscommon.

The men, ranging in age from 23 to 35, were arrested for offences pursuant to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006. They were being detained at Fermoy, Midleton, Mallow and Tipperary Garda Stations under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007.

A fifth person was also arrested as part of Operation Boxplot by gardai from GNECB. The male in his 20s was arrested in County Westmeath and was detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 in Castlerea Garda Station.

Another man was arrested under Operation Skein, which targets a criminal organisation based in Ireland involved in similar international criminal activity.

The five persons arrested as a part of Operations Skein and Operation Boxplot on April 15 have all since been released from custody without charge and a file is being prepared for the DPP.

MONEY LAUNDERING

In December 2020, members from GNECB, Fermoy district, Southern Region ASU along with the assistance of the Southern Region Dog Unit, carried out searches of two addresses, including a business premise in the Fermoy Garda District during a search operation targeting alleged money laundering in North Cork. A large amount of documents and evidence were seized during this search, however, no arrests were made.

It emerged that a major money laundering operation had taken hold in County Cork involving a man who it is believed is originally from the North of the country, but is now living in the county.

Sources said at the time that there is a suspected link to organised crime in Eastern Europe also and that suspicions centre around this man being involved as a freelance money launderer for international crime gangs.

To date, 19 people have been arrested as part of Operation Skein, with five persons arrested under Operation Boxplot. Investigations are ongoing.