A MASSIVE Garda operation in the Galway-Mayo area through the early hours of Wednesday morning last has resulted in the arrest of seven men thought to be involved in criminal gang activity.

Up to 85 Gardaí were involved in the dawn swoops on properties in Galway city and in Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo, with the seven men being questioned at different Garda stations in Mayo through the course of yesterday (Wednesday)

Members of a number of Garda units were involved in the operation which involved the search of properties in the Ballybane and Bohermore areas of Galway city and in Ballinrobe.

Armed Support, Air Support and the Garda Dog Units were involved in the searches and arrests – as well as a large team of detectives and rank-and-file Gardaí from two western divisions – Galway as well as Mayo/Roscommon/Longford.

Two of the men arrested were in their forties; four more were in their twenties; while the third was a teenager – all could be held for up to twelve hours and were questioned under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.