Arrest in connection with investigations into organised retail crime

COs CLARE/TIPPERARY – A man has been arrested as part of Operation Tairge, an operation to detect and prevent organised retail crime.

The man, aged around 40, was arrested on Monday by officers from the Clare/Tipperary Division who were investigating an organised shoplifting incident.

The investigation relates to numerous thefts of alcohol from retail stores across Ireland between July 2020 and February 2024 by an Eastern European organised criminal gang.

The suspected thefts mainly involve high-quality alcoholic beverages and spirits. The estimated potential damage to retailers is over 30,000 euros.

The arrested man is currently being held at a Garda station in the Clare/Tipperary Division.

Gardai say investigations are ongoing. They say organised retail crime (ORC) typically refers to situations where a number of individuals act together and specifically target retail outlets to steal large quantities of goods and then sell them back into the retail supply chain via the black market. It can also involve refund fraud to gain a financial or material advantage. ORC is usually coordinated and well organised by individuals who recruit others to commit thefts from retailers.

Operation Tairge is led by the Organised Retail Crime Tasking and Coordination Group within An Garda Siochana and supports each Garda Region to monitor and respond to new trends in their area.

According to Gardai, the Coordination Group also maintains close contact with retailers and business groups and, as is often the case in organised crime, organised retail crime can have an international dimension, which is why the Coordination Group also maintains its close working relationships with international partners.