New figures released by the Garda Síochána yesterday show that Operation Anvil, set up last May to tackle gun crimes in Dublin, is proving very successful, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has said.
According to the figures, there have been 23 arrests for murder since last May. Nineteen of these arrests have taken place since last September. Gardaí have also arrested 208 people for serious assaults since September.
"I am encouraged at the significant amount of arrests, seizures and searches which shows that the operation is continuing unabated," Mr McDowell said. "Gardaí are making significant inroads in removing lethal weapons from the hands of criminals."
Since last May, the value of property seized under Operation Anvil amounted to about €5.7 million. This compares to property worth €2.2 million seized in the initial May to September period.
According to the figures, gardaí have carried out 718 searches for illegal firearms, and have recovered 359 weapons since May last year. A total of 3,653 vehicles have been seized.
Over 7,700 drug searches have been made by gardaí since the operation began. Some 3,755 of the searches were made between May and September of last year.
Operation Anvil was set up in Dublin in response to a spate of gangland attacks. It received initial funding of €6.5 million from the Department of Justice to allow gardaí work some 15,000 hours of extra overtime per week.
Gardaí working on the operation have also set up nearly 25,000 checkpoints, and have made more than 1,600 arrests. These include 828 arrests for burglary, and 379 arrests for robbery.
Commenting on the figures, Supt Kevin Donohoe, of the Garda press office, said it indicated the extent of Garda activity under Operation Anvil.
"It has never been suggested that it is going to eradicate all criminal activity," he said. "But it is also hard to quantify what it may have prevented."
Operation Anvil: by the numbers
17th May 2005 to 19th February, 2006.
Number of checkpoints undertaken 24,758
Number of arrests
Murder 23
Serious Assaults 411
Burglary 828
Robbery 379
Total 1,641
Number of drug searches 7,705
Number of theft related searches 795
Number of s.29 OASA (firearms) searches 718
Number of firearms seized / recovered 359
Vehicle seizures - s.41 RTA 3,653
Approximate value of property recovered €5.7million
