A man has been arrested as part of a €20million property fraud investigation in Co Louth.
The ongoing probe involves the use of fake documentation to remove mortgage charges held by banks or credit unions.
The scheme then allows properties to be sold without repaying the mortgages.
A 37-year-old man became the ninth arrest as part of the operation on Wednesday.
He is being held at Dundalk Garda Station and can be detained for up to seven days.
A garda spokesman said: "Gardaí attached to the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) and Dundalk have arrested a man, aged 37, in relation to an ongoing investigation into property registration fraud.
"The man was arrested in the Dundalk area, today 3rd March 2021, and he is currently detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 at Dundalk Garda station. He can be detained for up to 7 days.
"This investigation involves a fraud of up to €20million.
"It involves the use of fraudulent documentation to remove mortgage charges held by Financial Institutions on properties, thus allowing the sale of those properties without repaying the mortgages.
"In this case, mortgage charges were removed from 12 properties, with 6 of these properties being sold.
"This is the 9th arrest as part of this investigation."
