Thurles Information

Gardaí have made an appeal to anyone with information regarding a missing Tipperary man, William Delaney, to contact them.

The appeal relates to the possible murder of the 56 year old William who went missing on Wednesday 30th January, 2019 last.

Mr Delaney, who resided in Portlaoise, had a large family (8) and yesterday would have been his 59th birthday.

Gardaí are already aware that on the morning of 30th January, 2019, William left Portlaoise General Hospital, where he had been a patient. He then collected his Social Welfare payment at Portlaoise Post Office.

He was last observed at approximately 3:00pm on that same afternoon in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, where he called to visit a relative, latter who resided on the old Cork-Dublin Road directly opposite the Hazel Hotel. The relative was found to be not at home at the time.

Mr Delaney’s absence from family did not cause any great concern initially, as he had taken time away on his own in the past.

In June 2019, Gardaí received information that William Delaney had been killed and that his body had been buried at a location in Laois. A comprehensive search was conducted in the area surrounding the ‘Rock of Dunamaise’, however no remains were located.

Gardaí are appealing to the local community, in the belief that people in the area may have information, and who may have not yet come forward.

If a member of the public prefers to give information without identifying themselves, they can call Crimestoppers on 1800 25 00 25.

It should be noted that calls made to Crimestoppers are completely anonymous and callers do not need to leave names or addresses.

Gardaí have arrested in total five men in counties Tipperary, Westmeath, Cork and Roscommon.

The arrests are part of further investigation into invoice redirection fraud involving some €6.3 million; of which €5 million was possibly lodged or moved through bank accounts here in the Irish republic.

Of the men detained, four are understood to be from Romania and one from Nigeria. Previously, a female associate of the men arrested was herself taken into custody in Co Tipperary, late last year, when she attempted to withdraw €31,000 from a bank account, which was suspected to contain the proceeds of invoice redirect fraud.

Yesterday morning, officers attached to the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) made four arrests following a number of planned searches carried out in Co. Tipperary, Co. Cork, and Co. Roscommon.

The four arrested individuals, all understood to be aged between 23 and 35 years of age, were detained at garda stations in Tipperary town, and Middleton, Mallow, Fermoy Co. Cork, under Section 50, of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007.

Last evening, in a follow up operation, a fifth man, understood to be aged in his 20s, was also arrested in Co. Westmeath. Latter is currently being detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 in Castlerea Garda Station, Co. Roscommon, where he can be held for questioning for up to seven days.

Four of yesterdays arrests were made under as part of Operation BOXPLOT, while the fifth man, also arrested yesterday, was detained under Operation SKEIN. All are being questioned in relation to the laundering of the proceeds of international invoice re-direct fraud.

To current date, 22 individuals have been arrested as part of Operation SKEIN, and Operation BOXPLOT; with further investigations ongoing.