An Garda Síochána’s Extradition Unit concluded a three-day nationwide operation on 5 November and announced the results on 7 November 2025. Eleven men wanted on European and international warrants were arrested in Dublin, Cavan, Meath and Monaghan for crimes ranging from attempted murder and large-scale drug supply to human trafficking and facilitation of illegal immigration.
The coordinated swoop, supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, follows increased intelligence sharing through Europol and the UK-Ireland Joint Agency Task Force. Among those detained is an Albanian national alleged to have organised illicit crossings into Ireland via ferry routes, and a Lithuanian suspect sought for trafficking women through Dublin Airport using forged Schengen visas.
![Garda Extradition Unit nets 11 fugitives, including suspects in human-trafficking and illegal-immigration rings]()
All 11 appeared before the High Court the same day; extradition hearings are scheduled over the coming fortnight. Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan welcomed the arrests, stating that Ireland ‘will not be a sanctuary for criminals who undermine the integrity of our migration system’. The operation underscores Ireland’s tightening stance on secondary movements by non-EU nationals following record asylum applications in 2024.
For employers, especially in agriculture, hospitality and construction—sectors that routinely sponsor non-EEA permits—the message is that compliance checks are intensifying. Legal advisers suggest companies review right-to-work documentation and supplier due-diligence processes to avoid unwitting links to trafficking networks. Mobility teams should also remind foreign assignees of their obligation to carry valid permission documents when travelling within Ireland.
The coordinated swoop, supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, follows increased intelligence sharing through Europol and the UK-Ireland Joint Agency Task Force. Among those detained is an Albanian national alleged to have organised illicit crossings into Ireland via ferry routes, and a Lithuanian suspect sought for trafficking women through Dublin Airport using forged Schengen visas.
All 11 appeared before the High Court the same day; extradition hearings are scheduled over the coming fortnight. Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan welcomed the arrests, stating that Ireland ‘will not be a sanctuary for criminals who undermine the integrity of our migration system’. The operation underscores Ireland’s tightening stance on secondary movements by non-EU nationals following record asylum applications in 2024.
For employers, especially in agriculture, hospitality and construction—sectors that routinely sponsor non-EEA permits—the message is that compliance checks are intensifying. Legal advisers suggest companies review right-to-work documentation and supplier due-diligence processes to avoid unwitting links to trafficking networks. Mobility teams should also remind foreign assignees of their obligation to carry valid permission documents when travelling within Ireland.
