A search operation by gardaí was conducted in Co. Clare earlier this week (Wednesday, June 28) which resulted in the recovery of farm tools which were regarded as “weapons” by gardaí .
The operation occurred in the Ballymaley area near Ennis, Co. Clare, where members of An Garda Síochána obtained a number of goods that were suspected as “stolen”, along with the capture of the “weapons”.
Gardaí confirmed to Agriland: “As part of ongoing investigations targeting groups involved in criminal activity in the mid-west area, a search operation was conducted on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at a number of properties and lands in the Ballymaley area of Ennis, Co. Clare.”
Search by gardaí
The statement continued: “In the course of the searches, gardaí recovered weapons, including slash hooks and pitchforks, along with number of items of suspected stolen property that included power tools. A number of mobile devices were also seized.”
Gardaí confirmed there were no planned arrests in this phase of the investigation.
The search operation required the involvement of ‘plain clothes’ and uniform personnel from both the Co. Clare and Co. Limerick garda divisions.
The operation was supported by members of the armed support unit from both the southern and north western regions and the southern region dog unit.
When asked by Agriland about crime in the rural area around Ennis, Cllr. Paul Murphy said: “Farm thefts would be a common thing.
“I’m delighted that the guards seem to be taking a firm hand on this and going in hard and finding out what’s going on.”
Rural crime
Elsewhere in Munster, gardaí this week have made another arrest as part of an ongoing investigation into the theft of agricultural machinery and livestock in the southwest region.
These arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into multiple reported thefts in the Kerry and Cork West garda divisions in late 2022 and early 2023.
These reported thefts included agricultural machinery and livestock, to the value of around €110,000. The thefts included a tractor and slurry tanker that were later recovered.