THREE men who were arrested yesterday (October 2) during a massive Garda sweep in North Cork, believed to be in relation to feuding between groups in Limerick and Charleville, have been released without charge.
Gardaí this Thursday morning confirmed that the three, aged in their 60s, 30s, and 20, were released without charge. A file is now to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
During the course of yesterday’s (Wednesday) sweep, Gardaí seized three guns, ammunition, and suspected drugs believed to be as part of investigations into a violent feud between rival groups in Limerick and Cork.
“As part of ongoing investigations targeting recent criminal damage and violent disorder incidents in North County Cork, Gardaí in Mallow and Charleville conducted a coordinated operation earlier today, Wednesday, 2nd October 2024,” said a Garda spokeswoman yesterday.
“In the course of the operation, searches were conducted under warrant leading to the seizure of three firearms and ammunition. These will be subject to further analysis by the Ballistics Section of the Garda Technical Bureau.”
The Garda spokeswoman explained that the North Cork operation “involved over 60 Gardaí including members from the Armed Support Unit, the Air Support Unit, Cork County Serious Crime Unit, Limerick County Serious Crime Unit, the Divisional Search Unit, members from the Cork North West Community Engagement area, personnel from the Dog Unit and the Scenes of Crime Unit.”
A quantity of suspected Xanax tablets, subject to analysis, was also recovered in Wednesday’s Garda operation.
The seizures and arrests followed a shooting at a house in Kilmallock, an arson at a property in Charleville, the discharge of a firearm at a vehicle on the N20 Limerick to Cork Road, and damage to a car, all in the last month.
Gardaí suspect that an attack on a house in Charleville last August, in which a 12-year-old girl sustained a serious head injury, is also linked to the violent feuding.
They also believe the attack on the house, in which the girl was seriously injured and required surgery, was in retaliation for an incident in Patrickswell, County Limerick, in which several armed and asked men smashed up a car and windows at a house.
Gardaí confirmed this morning that investigations are ongoing.
