Gardaí interview 269 sex workers during trafficking operation

Michael McAleer

One person was arrested in Cork during a Garda operation targeting human trafficking last week.

The arrest, on foot of a European Arrest Warrant from Germany, was of a man in his 50s who was detained at a massage parlour, and is in custody pending extradition proceedings.

Elsewhere during the operation, Gardaí worked alongside European colleagues to disrupt crime gangs engaged in human trafficking.

Officers interviewed 269 sex workers at 166 brothels in Ireland. No victims of trafficking were detected, but each person was offered information and advice.

Gardaí also monitored over 17,000 people entering and leaving the country via ports and airports in an effort to identify vulnerable people.

During the operation, there was also a prosecution for the purchase of sexual services in Co Meath, and the seizure of over €25,000 from two suspects. 

As part of an investigation launched during Operation Global Chain into brothel keeping and money laundering in the Limerick Division, a search and arrest operation took place in Limerick on Tuesday, June 30th.

More than €840,000 in cash was seized, and a man in his 50s was arrested. He was subsequently charged and appeared before Limerick District Court on Thursday, 2nd July 2026, where he was remanded on bail to 1st October 2026.