GARDAÍ IN MEATH have arrested 33 people and charged 11 others during a large-scale garda operation targeting drug trafficking and burglaries in the run-up to Christmas. 

The two-day Operation Thor has seen warrants executed and high-visibility crime patrols carried out, along with checkpoints and planned arrests.

Officers have so far seized €11,930 worth of cannabis, €14,565 worth of cocaine, and cash to the value of €1,615.

Six planned drugs searches were carried out by the Divisional Drug Unit, resulting in three section 15 offences, while 19 person and vehicle searches were carried out at 26 checkpoints, leading to the seizure of five vehicles.

Three road traffic offences were also detected.

Some 15 planned arrests resulted in ten theft offences, one road traffic offence, three drugs offences and one count of fraud.

“Operation Thor is designed to tackle the anticipated increase in the number of burglaries and associated criminal activity that usually occur in winter months,” a garda press statement said. 

The initiative has reduced the rate of winter burglaries, according to the statement, leading to a “significant decline in property-related crime since its introduction in 2015″.

Official crime statistics have shown a reduction of 34.7% in burglaries and related offences from 2019 to 2020, and that trend is continuing into 2021 with second-quarter figures from 2020 down 37.2% in the same period for this year. 

The operation was supported by the Eastern Region Armed Support Unit and outside agencies.