Gardaí have arrested 48 people and carried out 21 planned searches in Co. Carlow as part of ongoing investigations into thefts, assaults, fraud, burglary and drugs offences.

Of those arrested over the past three days in Operation Thor – Project Storm, 24 were held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

Five people were arrested for the purpose of charge and will appear before future sittings of Carlow District Court, while 19 people were arrested on foot of existing warrants.

Twelve people have been charged and will appear at local sittings of Carlow and Kilkenny District Courts in the coming weeks.

Officers, including 50 trainee Gardaí, carried out up to 42 checkpoints in the area and two vehicles were seized under the Road Traffic Acts.