AS PART OF a five year garda investigation into criminal activity at car dealerships on the west side of Dublin city, a third man was convicted yesterday.

Garda investigation ‘Operation Tie’ commenced in November 2007 and was set up to target car dealers who were suspected of being involved in criminal activity by importing high value vehicles from the UK and under declaring these vehicles.

On the 12 December 2007, 32 sites including business premises, private residences and professional offices connected to the targets and their associates were searched.

Convicted

So far two men were arrested and charged as part of the investigation. On 16 March 2011, a 58-year-old man was convicted and received a three year prison sentence with the final two years suspended and on 21 October 2011, a 40-year-old man was convicted and received two years imprisonment, which were suspended and was also fined €12,700.

A third man in his 40s was convicted at Dublin Circuit Court No. 7 yesterday and was remanded on bail for sentence to Circuit Court No. 13 on 13 July 2013.

The investigation team involved in ‘Operation Tie’ include members of the Criminal Assets Bureau, Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation and The National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Read: Up to 1,200 Gardaí now eligible to retire – Garda Commissioner >