Gardai have stopped a Romanian crime gang who are believed to be behind a massive €1m international fraud scam operation which was run from Ireland.
Gardai launched searches across Dublin in an operation targeting three properties linked to the group.
They believe the fraudsters are involved a sophisticated scam involving bogus on line sales that are part of a massive money laundering operation.
Sources have confirmed that the gang involved are Romanian and have been operating in Ireland for some time.
They are wanted in several countries and gardai have released images of laptops, phones, prints and laminator as part of their probe.
A garda statement outlined the operation and the European wide hunt for the gang.
A spokesman said: "Gardaí from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, in conjunction with Europol, Eurojust and other EU Police forces, have been conducting an investigation into an Organised Crime Group involved in cyber based frauds including bogus online sales and accommodation frauds where people throughout the EU are duped into purchasing goods online but no goods are delivered.
"The money involved is then laundered through bank accounts set up in Ireland under false names. It is estimated that in excess of €1.5m has been laundered through these accounts in the past year.
"As part of this ongoing investigation previous arrests were made in Finland and Ireland.
"The gardai outlined the trawl of evidence they found and also arrested a man.
A spokesman said: "False passports, details of false bank accounts, equipment (Laptops, phones, prints, laminators) suspected of use in the manufacture of these false passports along with an amount of cash was seized.
"One male has been arrested under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 and he is currently detained under the provisions of Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 at Coolock Garda Station."
