20 youths arrested in Dublin scrambler and e-bike crackdown, drugs and cash seized

Gardaí arrested 20 people aged 16–19 under Operation Meacán, seizing 36 vehicles and nearly €140,000 in drugs. A separate retail theft operation has charged 42 people with 120 offences.

Dublin operation nets 20 arrests, €140k in drugs and 36 vehicles

Gardaí arrested 20 young people between the ages of 16 and 19 as part of a major intelligence-led operation targeting the unlawful use of scramblers, e-scooters and e-bikes across Dublin's Eastern Region, nova.ie reports.

Operation Meacán ran from 10 August to 24 September, focusing on criminal activity linked to the illegal use of those vehicles, road safety enforcement, and the removal of unlawfully operated vehicles from public roads. The operation resulted in the seizure of 36 vehicles, drugs with an estimated street value of close to €140,000, and more than €10,000 in cash.

Among the drugs recovered was over one kilogramme of cocaine, valued at approximately €100,000, in connection with which one young person was arrested. Gardaí also seized crack cocaine and cannabis during the course of the operation. Fourteen premises were searched and €10,200 in cash was recovered.

The 20 individuals arrested are suspected of involvement in offences including robbery, criminal damage, dangerous driving, possession of articles intended for use in burglaries, and the sale and supply of drugs. Gardaí said one main gang was targeted during the operation, alongside a number of other individuals.

The gang's primary areas of activity included Loughlinstown, Kilbogget Park and Honey Park in Dún Laoghaire, as well as Ballyogan and Leopardstown Valley on the far side of the M50. Prosecutions or referrals to the Garda National Youth Diversion Bureau have begun in relation to all offences detected.

Operation Táirge: 42 face court on 120 charges

Separately, more than 40 people are due before the District Court in the Dublin Eastern Region on Friday under Operation Táirge, which targets gangs involved in organised retail theft and related criminal activity. The 42 individuals face a combined total of 120 charges. Gardaí said a large number of EU removal orders and deportation orders are expected to follow. A total of 142 people have been arrested under Operation Táirge in the Dublin Eastern Region since the national operation began in December 2023.

Chief Superintendent of DMR East David Kennedy said the activity would extend into the winter months. "This activity will continue into the winter months with targeted operations, searches and arrests, and all assets which we suspect arise from criminality will be seized," Kennedy said. He added that Gardaí would continue to work with partner agencies, particularly Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, to tackle criminal and anti-social behaviour.

Source: Google News IE — Crime (en)