Thurles Information

Fraudulent Email Alert

An Garda Síochána wish to alert the public to a ‘phishing’ scam whereby persons are being contacted by an email claiming to be from the Department of Justice and Equality, but will use the words ‘Ireland Justice Department’ and will come from the email address ‘jury@justice.ie’.

The main body of text asks people to register for jury service by clicking on the link, ‘justice.ie’.
When clicked on; it redirects people to a cloned website, where a person’s name, date of birth and PPS number is sought.

Gardaí are advising the public as follows:

• Do not respond to unsolicited emails
• Do not clicks onto links contained within them
• Do not give away any personal data
• Report the matter to An Garda Siochana
• Be aware that the public are never asked to register for jury service in this manner as people are contacted by summons for jury service by the County Registrar.

More information is available from Courts Services via the following link https://www.courts.ie/jury-service

The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), headed by Detective Chief Superintendent Michael Gubbins, have seized 80 cars worth more than 2 million Euros from a car dealership here in Co. Tipperary. Same operation is part of an investigation into a UK-based Pakistan and Lithuanian organised crime gang.

This morning’s CAB seizures were supported by the Emergency Response Unit, the Stolen Motor Vehicle Investigation Unit, the Garda National Immigration Bureau, the Garda Technical Bureau and the Revenue Customs Dog Unit, which carried out six searches in homes and businesses in both Co. Clare and Co. Tipperary.

In total cars seized included Range Rover’s; Volvo’s; BMW’s; and Hyundai’s worth more than €2 million. The gang are believed to have set-up a company and bought a garage in Co Tipperary, selling cars they had purchased and imported from the UK.

Some €20,000 in cash was seized in six searches and over €200,000 frozen in bank accounts.

Police in the UK and our own Gardaí believe the crime gang were involved in invoice redirect fraud and were using the business as a front for money laundering.

In a similar operation in the UK, West Midlands Police also carried out a search and arrest operation as part of their investigation.

Gardaí have arrested a juvenile and seized over €8,000 of suspected drugs in Clonmel, South Co. Tipperary, today.

Shortly after 1.00pm, members of the Clonmel District Drugs Unit, assisted by Clonmel and Carrick on Suir Detective Branch, executed a search warrant at an address in the Brook Crescent area of Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

During the course of the search Gardaí seized €8,000 of alprazolam tablets (Xanax) along with a small quantity of cocaine.

Alprazolam is properly used in medicine to treat anxiety and panic disorders and belongs to a class of medications called benzodiazepines which act on the brain and central nervous system to produce a calming effect.

A juvenile is currently detained at Clonmel Garda Station.