34 men deported from State back to Poland and Lithuania

Thirty-four adult males with criminal histories in Ireland were removed from the State on a chartered flight to Poland and Lithuania. The men, aged from the mid-twenties to the mid-sixties, had been convicted in Irish courts and received custodial sentences. Garda National Immigration Bureau operations removed 22 Polish nationals and 12 Lithuanian nationals on foot of EU Removal Orders. Further Exclusion Orders prohibit re-entry for periods ranging from five to 10 years. Twenty-five men were removed directly from Irish Prison Service custody, while nine were arrested and detained from communities and held in prison before removal. The removals form part of ongoing Garda operations targeting sex offenders, domestic violence offenders, organised retail crime, drug networks, organised burglary crime, and road traffic offences.

"Thirty-four adult males have been removed from the State on a chartered flight to their home countries of Poland and Lithuania. The men who range in age from mid-twenties to mid-sixties, have a criminal history in Ireland and have been convicted before the courts and received custodial sentences for their crimes."

"The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) of An Garda Síochána carried out an operation removing the 22 Polish Nationals and 12 Lithuanian Nationals, on foot of EU Removal Orders. Further Exclusion Orders issued to the individuals ban them from re-entering into the State for up to periods of five to 10 years. All individuals were removed on a chartered flight which left Dublin earlier today, Sunday May 24, for Poland and onwards to Lithuania."

"Twenty-five of the men had been serving prison sentences and were removed directly from Irish Prison Service custody, while the other nine individuals were arrested and detained from communities across Ireland and were detained in prison prior to their removal today. The removal of these 34 individuals is part of ongoing operations by An Garda Síochána in terms of addressing immigration policies in Ireland."

"Some of these operations include: *Operation Moonridge; targeting sex offenders, domestic violence offenders, for offences including rape, sexual assault, and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM)* Operation Tárige; targeting recidivist offenders involved in organised retail crime and handling stolen property* Operation Tara; targeting drug networks involved in sale, supply, importation and cultivation of controlled drugs* Operation Thor; targeting organised crime gangs involved in burglary offences nationwide* Road Safety; multiple convictions for road traffic offences including dangerous driving, driving while intoxicated and no insurance"

Read at Irish Independent