Armed Gardaí on Nenagh bypass last night

Our man in Havana

I encountered regular gardai and armed gardaí checking tax last night on the Nenagh bypass around midnight. They didn't say a word to me just a quick look at the wallpaper and waved on. Thought it was strange to say the least.

Why would they be using armed gardaí for tax checks? Seems a little OTT to me. Anyone ever come across this before?

SarahSassy

Maybe cos its close to Limerick ;):p;)

--amadeus--

SarahSassy wrote: »

Maybe cos its close to Limerick ;):p;)

Witty and original. Did you write it using your own crayons?

I saw some armed gardaí at a minor collision a while back - they were teh closest unit to the incident so took control till a regular patrol arrived. Maybe they were in the area anyway? Or perhaps the tax check was part of a larger, planned, operation? Be interesting to find out.

Fey!

Maybe they were looking for something else, using a "tax checkpoint" as cover so as not to unnecessarily alarm people?

Anyone remember Dessie "the Border Fox" O'Hare (if that was his name) years ago? Armed checkpoints everywhere (we had one outside our house for days!)

Turner

They are operation anvil checkpoints.

Designed to deter real criminals (who the gardai know on first named basis) from carrying guns/drugs in their cars.

These type of criminals wouldnt stop or would even try to knock down uniformed gardai. They obviously wouldnt try it with armed detectives watching them.

Rowley Birkin QC

Met one of these at about 2:30am between Kildorrery and Mitchelstown about 4 years ago too, very odd.

Heard there was a big enough drugs find later that night in the area though.

peasant

Having grown up in a country where every police officer carrys a sidearm, I still find it strange to be stopped by people who "carry" nothing but a uniform.
Kinda like stopping for the postman

confuzed

peasant wrote: »

Kinda like stopping for the postman

they are postman and they are gonna put stamp on your fore head.

Kimbot

Have seen it alot. Most likely its a type of sting for Drug Dealers etc.

farva

I saw armed garda in red bullet proof vests and guys in "customs" jackets at a checkpoint in Killiney about a year ir two ago. There were a lot of them there too! I think that it was at the time when they started the big VRT clampdown.

bitemybanger

AFAIK its part of operation anvil to tackle drugs/gun crime

TestTransmission

I came across one of these about 3/4 weeks ago and it was in a tiny little town in Offaly,explain that????

Mena

peasant wrote: »

Having grown up in a country where every police officer carrys a sidearm, I still find it strange to be stopped by people who "carry" nothing but a uniform.
Kinda like stopping for the postman

Agreed, after 7 years in Ireland I still find it strange and possibly a little unnerving.

niceirishfella

Chief--- wrote: »

They are operation anvil checkpoints.

Designed to deter real criminals (who the gardai know on first named basis) from carrying guns/drugs in their cars.

These type of criminals wouldnt stop or would even try to knock down uniformed gardai. They obviously wouldnt try it with armed detectives watching them.

Yeah........drugs in transit operation. On the bypass on approach to the Guards, if you are loaded with drugs in the car there's no where to turn around or a road to duck up to avoid detection.

Perfect place to intercept criminals. Good on the guards - i like to see them earning their keep on this missions, thats what we all pay our taxes for.

Anan1

There are still lots of them in the area between Blackrock and Sandycove, in south Dublin.