Gardaí investigating one of the Republic's biggest counterfeiting crime gangs have seized goods valued at almost €3 million following co-ordinated searches of more than 20 premises yesterday.
The haul, which includes clothing, footwear, DVDs and counterfeiting equipment, is so big gardaí have hired a warehouse in which to store it.
Most of the clothing seized bore designer labels. A significant quantity of designer sunglasses was also found. The haul is one of the biggest seized in the Republic and is more than half of the €5 million value of all counterfeit items seized throughout last year.
Gardaí believe the goods were sourced from overseas, most likely southeast Asia and eastern Europe, and were then shipped to Ireland. Once here, they were collected by members of a gang based across Dublin's south inner city.
The gang, with 15 key people, has been under investigation since last October. The counterfeit merchandise was then sold in small outlets, by street traders and at markets across the country.
From before dawn yesterday, 23 premises across Dublin were raided including private houses and flats, warehouses, retail outlets and factories. The searches took place in Tallaght, Crumlin and the north and south inner city.
The operation was led by the Criminal Assets Bureau and included members of the Garda's National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Revenue's Custom and Excise Service.