Five men have been arrested in counties Clare and Kerry in a Gardaí and Revenue joint operation targeting international organised criminal activity.

Yesterday, officers from Revenue Customs Service supported by Gardaí from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau boarded and searched an anchored cargo vessel in the Shannon Estuary.

A 28-year-old man was arrested on the cargo vessel on suspicion of facilitating or enhancing a criminal organisation to commit a serious offence.

The man is being held at a Garda station in County Clare.

Four other men, aged 30, 31, 39 and 45, who were arrested on suspicion of facilitating or enhancing a criminal organisation to commit a serious offence at Meenogahane, County Kerry, on January 13th are still being held at Garda stations in County Kerry.

Investigations are ongoing.

A Garda station. Image: Alamy