A MAN IN his late 20s has been arrested after a search was carried out in Swords, Co Dublin, as part of an investigation into scam email money laundering and fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) claims.

Gardaí from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) carried out the search this morning as part of Operation Skein, which targets international Business Email Compromise (BEC) frauds being committed from Ireland.

The value of money stolen as a result of the PUP fraud is approximately €49,500. This money was paid into a number of bank accounts set up using false identities.

Gardaí said that an estimated additional €120,000 was stolen in an online fraud and paid into these same bank accounts.

The search operation was carried out with assistance from Gardaí on secondment at the Department of Social Protection.

During the course of the search laptops, phones, documentation, a quantity of cash and a car were seized.

The arrested man is currently detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 in Swords Garda Station.

Investigations into the matter are ongoing.