Three gang members have been jailed in the UK for helping to smuggle people into the country via Ireland.
They were sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court in London yesterday.
The three members of have been jailed for a total of nine years and five months for assisting the illegal immigration of Georgian nationals into the UK.
According to gardaí, the gang sought to abuse the Common Travel Area to smuggle people there by coming through Ireland first.
A further three members of the gang had been sentenced to a total of six years and six months in jail following earlier court hearings.
Their convictions follow an investigation involving the Garda National Immigration Bureau, which collaborated and shared intelligence with officials in the UK.
Gardaí also travelled to the UK for the 'search and arrest phase' of the investigation, to support officers in the UK and to coordinate any necessary responses in Ireland.
Detective Chief Superintendent David Dowling said: "This is an example of the continued cooperation between the relevant agencies in our efforts to target all types of criminal activity, including illegal immigration in both jurisdictions."
