Waste Enforcement Unit assist Gardai in successful search

Fingal County Council’s Waste Enforcement Unit assisted the Garda Divisional Crime Task Force yesterday in another successful search at a metal recycling facility in North Dublin.

A multi-agency approach was used with assistance from Revenue, Customs, National Trans Frontier Shipments Office (NTFSO) and the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authority (WERLA).

The search was part of an ongoing investigation by Gardai into the theft of catalytic converters throughout the region.

A total of 2,150 catalytic converters and 14 drums of smelted catalytic converters, with a combined value of €2.2 million were seized and a man in his 20’s was arrested for offences contrary to Section 17 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001.

The theft of catalytic converters has become more popular in recent years as the move to a cashless society has meant fewer opportunities for thieves. Each converter can be sold on the black market for between €300 and €600 and more for high-end brands.

The converters comprise a honeycomb structure, designed to cleanse engine fumes as they pass through the exhaust. The metal components – platinum, palladium and rhodium – have surged in value, meaning their scrap-metal worth is now high. There is also a market for converters to be used in other cars.

Yesterday's search follows a similar operation last week where the Council's Waste Enforcement Unit assisted the Garda Divisional Crime Task Force and other Agencies (Customs and Revenue) in a search with 300 catalytic converters were seized at a metal recycling facility in St Margaret’s, North Co. Dublin valued at €150,000.  

The search was carried out by Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) Divisional Crime Task Force and was based on intelligence gathered during recent investigations on the theft of catalytic converters throughout the region.