GARDAI IN Enniscorthy are this week working to identify the origins of a large number of stolen products which they seized during a raid on two houses in Carlow late last week.

As part of an ongoing investigation over a number of months in the South Eastern region, a planned operation was put in place by members of the Wexford Divisional Crime Task Force and members of Enniscorthy Garda Station. The task force has been focusing on organised criminal groups involved in retail theft in the region.

Assisted by Gardai from Carlow, the task force and Enniscorthy Gardai raided two residential homes in Carlow town where they recovered in excess of €6,500 worth of property and arrested three people – two females (one in her 50s and one her late teens) and a male in his late teens.

The three were detained for around 12 hours and interviewed with the assistance of interpreters. All three were charged with two released on station bail. The third person, a female teenager, appeared before a special sitting of Gorey District Court where she was also granted bail.

Two of those detained were charged with theft while the third was charged for handling stolen property. The investigation is ongoing and a file has been prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

A substantial amount of property including designer handbags, laptops, designer clothing and a number of other electrical items and perfume were seized and Gardai are currently working to determine where each item came from.

Some of the premises affected have been identified and they range from individual sole traders right up to major stores.