A large force of gardaí searched eight houses in Killarney early yesterday morning in a clampdown on illegal trading.
Gardaí drawn from Cork city, west Cork, Kerry and Limerick, and detectives from the Criminal Assets Bureau converged on the housing estate located to the east of Killarney town.
An outlying farmhouse was also searched.
Gardaí said the raids were mainly to help their inquiries rather than to seize property or materials.
Det Sgt Dan Keane of Killarney Garda station said the house searches yesterday were an on-going "southern region" initiative.
The operation is investigating the activities of what gardaí described as "rogue traders" who have been targeting the elderly, particularly in the Munster region.
The Killarney search, involving more than 50 garda, was the biggest so far in the investigation.
CAB personnel removed quantities of paper and documents from the houses.
No arrests were made and the occupants co-operated fully with gardaí during the searches which took some hours.