‘Extensive investigation’ into allegations of gardaí extorting food-delivery workers

An internal Garda inquiry into the alleged theft of money from a Deliveroo rider has developed into an “extensive criminal investigation” into the extortion of money from food-delivery workers by gardaí.

Four gardaí have now been suspended amid concerns members serving in a Dublin Garda station have been involved in “taxing” riders – demanding money from them in return for letting them carry out their work unimpeded.

At least one garda is suspected of demanding relatively small amounts of money – typically less than €50 – from multiple workers after stopping them.

One of the gardaí was suspended in November, and another three were suspended this week.

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The latest suspensions were accompanied by several searches by anti-corruption gardaí, including the search of a Garda station and members’ lockers.

Senior sources described it as an “extensive criminal investigation” but stressed no findings of wrongdoing have yet been reached.

Earlier this year a female Deliveroo rider claimed she was stopped by two men who presented as Garda members before they carried out a search at her home.

After the search, the woman claimed a number of items, including money, were missing. She suspected the two men were not Garda members and so she contacted her local station and made a complaint alleging theft.

Following the allegations, Garda headquarters appointed a senior officer to carry out a scoping exercise which has since been upgraded to a formal criminal investigation and led to the suspension of a serving garda last month.

*This article was amended on December 23rd 2021