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A total of 55 people have been arrested in a large-scale Garda operation targeting organised crime in Co Kilkenny.
The arrests took place over the last three days as part of Operation Storm, targeting a range of criminal activity.
Since Monday, officers carried out 19 searches in the county, with support from the Garda Regional Armed Support Unit.
In a statement, the Garda said: “This operation constituted a high-visibility deployment of resources in the Kilkenny-Carlow division to prevent crime, disrupt criminal activity, arrest criminals wanted on warrant, and enhance our relations with the public.
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“Checkpoints were conducted in the villages of Ballycallan, Tullaroan, Castlecomer, Urlingford, Ballyragget and the approach roads to Kilkenny city on the 31st January 2018.”
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The Garda said by the time the operation ended at 6pm on Wednesday, 39 people had been arrested for criminal offences and 16 others were detained on warrant.
These people are being held at Kilkenny, Thomastown, Athy and Clonmel Garda stations. The Garda said the offences for which people have been arrested include theft, assault, fraud, robbery and burglaries.
It added that 16 people have been charged and will appear at local sittings of Kilkenny District Court in coming weeks, while three were to appear before a special sitting of Kilkenny District Court on Wednesday night.