Updated 5.20pm

FIVE PEOPLE HAVE been arrested as part of a garda investigation into a scam that cost Dublin Zoo close to €500,000.

It was reported in December that the zoo had fallen victim to an invoice fraud scam that involved the theft of almost half a million euro. It is understood that as part of the scam, some businesses were sent invoice emails purporting to be from suppliers and providing false bank details.

Gardaí said the investigation into the series of invoice redirecting frauds amounts to in excess of €750,000 and affects a number of organisations.

This morning, three searches were carried out at properties in Tipperary and one in Dublin as part of the ongoing investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB).

The GNECB, assisted by the Cyber Crime Unit and gardaí from Tipperary and Blanchardstown, carried out the searches.

Three men and two women, ranging in age from their 20s to 60s, were arrested in connection with this investigation into organised criminal activity. They are being detained at Clonmel, Cahir and Tallaght garda stations under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

A spokesperson for Dublin Zoo told TheJournal.ie that it is “co-operating with An Garda Síochána on a case of invoice redirect fraud”.

“No Dublin Zoo customer details have been compromised,” they added.

“As this is an ongoing investigation by An Garda Síochána, we cannot provide further comment at this time.”

- With reporting by Michelle Hennessy.

Read: Police still trying to confirm number of victims after ‘ferocious’ house fire

Read: Here are your rights if your flight gets cancelled