A total of twelve men were arrested today in the greater Belfast area as police continued a major offensive against leading criminals.
They were detained in a series of planned searches of 21 properties in an operation that also covered neighbouring Lisburn, Co Antrim, and Bangor, Co Down.
Police raided several addresses following a spate of armed robberies and burglaries in the south of the city. Searches were also done for weapons and stolen property.
As many as 100 police officers took part in the operation, which had been "carefully planned" at the end of last year to crack down on organised crime, operation leader Detective Chief Inspector Alan Mains said. The 12 were arrested for armed robberies, car thefts and burglaries, but "organised crime has a clear correlation with terrorists", Mr Mains said.
He added that more arrests were expected later today and over the following week.
Last month detectives investigating crime in south Belfast arrested more than 100 people.
Some of them were thought to have paramilitary links, but the majority of those detained were believed to specialise in thieving and armed robbery.
PA