Judge Michael Moriarty told Trim Circuit Court, Co Meath, he had to stop the ongoing activity of Dublin criminals heading north, south, east and west of the city for the purposes of burglary or other similar crimes against residents in the Meath area.
He was speaking as he sentenced a Dublin heroin addict who admitted handling stolen property and causing criminal damage to 2 1/2 years detention in St Patrick's Institution.
The court heard Michael McDonagh (20), Jobstown, Tallaght had been in a car stopped at a Garda roadblock on June 19th 1995, on the Dublin Ashbourne road.
The defendant had been a passenger and stolen jewellery worth about £2,000 was found in his pocket.