Foreword Contents Fighting Crime 2 Community 17 Managing Our Resources 22 Traffic 34 Regional Reports 39 Strategic Goals 53 Statistics 64 I am pleased to present the Annual Report An Garda Síochána continues to develop and for 2012 detailing all the work carried out by implement operations and strategies aimed An Garda Síochána nationwide. The report at targeting, dismantling and disrupting outlines achievements in relation to our core criminal networks, utilising advanced commitments – the prevention and detection analytical and intelligence methodologies. of crime, the protection of national security, and in particular, our daily work in During 2012 we continued to strengthen our communities around Ireland. links and working relationships with the community, national bodies, and The mission statement of An Garda Siochána international counterparts. It is through such is “working with communities to protect and links that we can continue to police serve”. As an organisation, we are uniquely effectively and achieve positive successful placed in relation to daily interaction with, outcomes such as reducing road deaths. It and integration into the fabric of should be noted that one death on the roads communities. An Garda Síochána is required is a death too many, however 2012 saw the to examine its capacity and effectiveness fifth straight year of reduced fatalities to an within the economic realities which are all time low of 162 deaths. An Garda impacting on the nation. I am acutely aware Síochána will continue to carry out of the sense of disappointment that exists in information and enforcement campaigns in communities that may have seen a local an effort to continue this downward trend. station close, however the commitment of An Garda Síochána is to maintain As a service, we can never over-emphasise operational effectiveness and resilience. the importance of the partnership between While a policing service may not always be ourselves and the community in continuing provided in the same way as it was in the to prevent and detect crime and maintaining past, it is no less effective or committed. a safe environment for everyone. Targeted, intelligence-led operations continued to impact positively at local and national level. Focused and detailed Martin Callinan investigations resulted in arrests and Commissioner of An Garda Síochána charges in a number of high profile cases, including the area of organised crime. Fighting Crime Fighting Crime Criminal Assets Bureau As a result of its Revenue actions, the Criminal Assets Bureau assessed 28 individuals for tax and €1.9million approximately was collected in relation to The Criminal Assets Bureau pursuant to its income which was generated from Criminal statutory remit took a number of actions to Conduct. Under the Social Welfare legislation target the proceeds of criminal conduct the Criminal Assets Bureau made savings of during 2012. These actions covered a wide €612K for all schemes and a total of €397k range of Garda, Revenue and Social Welfare was recovered from overpayments. activities. The Criminal Assets Bureau has continued to pursue persons involved in The Bureau worked in close co-operation with crime at all levels. other units attached to the National Support Services and with all Garda Divisions in joint operations targeting the proceeds of crime in the possession or control of people involved in criminal activity at all levels. During 2012 the Criminal Assets Bureau trained an additional 55 Divisional Assets Profilers. This figure was made up of 45 Gardaí, 6 Customs Officers and 4 Social Welfare Officers. This brought the number of Garda Profilers to a 176 and 199 in total when all agencies are included. On the international scene, the Criminal In 2012 the Criminal Assets Bureau Assets Bureau continued to do its work as the commenced 15 new cases under the Proceeds Assets Recovery Office which was established of Crime Act in the High Court. in accordance with the European Council Approximately €4.8million was paid over to Decision. Each European Member State is now the Minister for Finance. This is money obliged to establish this office which deals accrued from Proceeds of Crime actions. The with requests for intelligence in the targeting Bureau finalised 12 cases in the High Court and tracing the proceeds of crime. The having obtained orders pursuant to Section 4 Bureau also participated in the CARIN network and 4A of the Proceeds of Crime Act. The which is an informal network of countries value of these orders is approximately involved in the seizure of the proceeds crime. €3.75million. The types of criminal investigations conducted included persons involved in drug dealing, theft, fraud and prostitution. In 2 cases the Bureau was able to recover approximately €4million and €480k respectively for victims of 2 separate frauds. Annual Report of An Garda Síochána 2012 2 Fighting Crime recovery of a firearm. In December 2012 all Organised Crime Unit four members of this Organised Criminal Group pleaded guilty before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and received custodial The Organised Crime Unit, (OCU) is tasked sentences ranging from 2 yrs 6 months to 5 with the targeting of national and years. international criminal organisations that engage in all aspects of crime including; Significant operations undertaken by OCU in 2012 include: The importation and distribution of illegal firearms; 387 targeted operations against Armed Robberies; organised criminal groupings; Cash-in-transit robberies; Seizure of controlled drugs valued at Tiger Kidnappings; €4,591,200; Firearms offences; Seizure of €247,950 in cash; Murder ; 23 seizures of illegal firearms; Organised Prostitution; Provision of 367 armed patrols in Revenue offences including fuel support of nationwide operations i.e smuggling; Operation ‘Fiacla’ ; Importation of counterfeit and contraband tobacco; Garda National Immigration The OCU target criminal organisations Bureau through intelligence led operations in conjunction with other national and local During 2012, the Garda National Immigration Garda units including the National Criminal Bureau (GNIB) prioritised the prevention, Intelligence Unit, National Surveillance Unit detection and investigation of human and the Emergency Response Unit. The Unit trafficking, with a particular emphasis on also works closely with Revenue Customs victim related issues. In the course of human Service in targeting drug trafficking. trafficking related investigations, An Garda Síochána prevented potential victims from Again in 2012 the OCU has worked with other being subject to criminal activity. The units in three significant areas namely organisation contributed to the achievement organised prostitution, people trafficking and of prosecutions and convictions of the revenue evasion. perpetrators of human trafficking at both a national and international level. In August 2009 Operation ‘Cubbyhole’ was set up by the Organised Crime Unit to target GNIB continued to play a significant role in an Organised Criminal Group from the guarding national security and indeed Crumlin area, Dublin 12. Over a six week strengthening international security, through period a Garda Surveillance Operation implementing legislation relating to the monitored the movements of this group control of entry to, residence in and removal which culminated in the arrest of all four from the State of foreign nationals. While An members of the gang for conspiring to rob a Garda Síochána facilitated the lawful Post Office in Drumcondra, Dublin 9 and the Annual Report of An Garda Síochána 2012 3 Fighting Crime movement of a great many foreign nationals strong partnerships with EU and International who visited Ireland throughout 2012, its law enforcement agencies. immigration officers refused permission to enter the State to 2,397 such persons who The GNDU carries out long term strategic and did not meet the necessary entry short term tactical investigations into the requirements. activities of Organised Crime Gangs (OCG's) based both here and on the European In 2012, while fulfilling its immigration Continent from where drug traffickers ply control function, GNIB detected attempts to their trade to the detriment of the Irish enter the State by persons who had nation. The GNDU liaises with other European possession of bogus and stolen passports Police Forces and has strategic partners in the and other documents. The detection of United Kingdom, Spain, Holland and Belgium; smuggling of illegal immigrants and countries where OCG's affecting the Irish suspicious movement of children into the jurisdiction tend to be the most proactive. country was included in the actions taken by In 2012 the Garda National Drugs Unit the organisation’s immigration officers. The arrested 125 persons in connection with drug GNIB also co-ordinated the removal of a trafficking offences, 91 of these were charged number of foreign nationals who have been and are before the Courts with the remainder resident in the State for some time. A total of being made the subject of investigation files 448 foreign nationals who were the subjects to the Director of Public Prosecutions. of either a removal, transfer or deportation €80.7million of controlled drugs was seized order, were removed from the State in 2012, by GNDU in 2012 which included Cocaine, 88 of whom had acquired criminal Heroin, Herbal Cannabis, Cannabis Resin and convictions while resident in Ireland. Ecstasy. In total, 71 significant seizures were made including the seizure,