Gardaí hold two people in custody in relation to attempting to enter the country with falsified passports and negative COVID-19 tests. Gardaí are currently tackling crime being carried out by mobs in relation to COVID-19, according to Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll.
O’Driscoll said there has been “a particular dimension” to organised crime, where people have engaged in criminality that is “directly associated” with the pandemic. Two people have been arrested in the last 24 hours and are being detained by Gardaí after an attempt to enter this jurisdiction by using bogus passports. The pair were in possession of fake correspondence which indicates that they had “undertaken COVID testing that had produced a negative result”.
The Commissioner said that is just one example of where Gardaí are tackling crime, associated specifically with the COVID-19 pandemic. Just last week, Limerick based Rathkeale Rovers mob were named by Europol as one of a number of crime gangs involved in these activities.
The European Union agency for law enforcement cooperation said it received intelligence on the Limerick-based group over “alleged use of a mobile application,” which allows members to manually falsify test results. According to reports, the gang are believed to be selling the bogus, negative COVID results for hundreds of euro.
For a number of weeks now, a number of EU countries, including Ireland, are requiring passengers to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test to be granted entry when travelling from a high-risk area. With an apparent specialty in rhino horn tusks, the Rathkeale Rovers are also involved in fraudulent activities and many scams including scams building materials, tarmac, furniture, and cars.
New measures were brought in this week to combat people arriving in Ireland from high-risk countries. Passengers arriving from any destination must quarantine under the new COVID regulations for 14 days, either at home or at an address specified on their Passenger Locator Form.
