A fifth person has been arrested as part of Operation Joggle, an investigation into the use of Irish bank accounts to funnel money for an international crime gang.
Officers from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) took the man, aged in his early 30s, into custody on Friday.
His arrest is part of an investigation into the proceeds of two suspected “invoice redirection frauds” totalling €59,000.
In a statement, gardai said they believe the funds were received into Irish bank accounts and dispersed by cash withdrawals and international transfers into other accounts.
He was being held for questioning at Kevin Street garda station as part of the ongoing operation which is focusing on the activities of a West African organised crime group.
Operation Joggle has been ongoing for over a year. It is suspected that cash received into Irish accounts has been rerouted back to West Africa.
A significant portion of the money has been laundered through companies to disguise its criminal links, a practice known as “trade-based” money laundering.
Although the gang is believed to be from West Africa, it has used bank accounts belonging to people of various nationalities. It is suspected of having stolen hundreds of millions of euro globally and some of that has been channelled through Irish accounts.
Last month, another man in his 30s, from Eastern Europe, was arrested for questioning in west Dublin on suspicion his account was used to receive the proceeds of two frauds.
