26/11/2015

Operation Vantage Launched To Investigate Illegal Immigration

The Garda National Immigration Bureau has launched Operation Vantage to investigate illegal immigration and identify marriages of convenience.

It is understood that recent trends indicate a large number of new notifications of intention to marry from males from the Indian sub-continent – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh – to females from EU countries, particularly Portugal and Eastern European countries.

Operation Vantage has identified a number of criminal networks based in Ireland and the UK who are engaged in the facilitation of these marriages through the provision of false information and documentation to Marriage Registrars, thus exploiting the asylum and immigration system.

A number of searches were carried across the country on Wednesday, 25 November 2015, by over 200 Garda members including those attached to Operation Vantage supported by resources from National units including the Criminal Assets Bureau and Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, and local Garda units.

Detective Chief Superintendant Dowling of the Garda National Immigration Bureau said: "An Garda Síochána will continue to proactively work with all the relevant agencies to detect and investigate any criminality in relation to the immigration system, particularly in regards to marriages of convenience being used for the purposes of securing an immigration advantage. This is the first phase of what will likely be a long term operation."

(MH/CD)

Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

26 February 2009
Civilian Immigration Officers An Option, Says Ahern
Passengers arriving at ports and airports in Ireland could soon be grilled by private contractors rather than immigration officials. The Justice Dermot Ahern is said to be considering the privatisation of passport control to speed up delays of up to two hours at points of entry.
23 September 2010
Foreign Education Sector To Boost Earnings
A new blueprint is targeting €1.2 billion earnings annually from the foreign education sector. The Government has launched a major new strategy aimed at increasing international student numbers in higher education by 50% and in English language schools by 25% by 2015.
17 January 2008
Alleged Sex Boss Held
The gardaí in north Cork have arrested a man as part of an investigation into organised prostitution. The 51-year-old was detained by detectives from the Criminal Assets Bureau at around 7.30am on Thursday morning, during a raid carried out as part of an on-going investigation, dubbed Operation Boulder.
05 December 2019
Probe As Migrants Found On Cargo Ship In Co Waterford
An investigation has been launched after eight men were found hiding on a cargo ship travelling from France to Ireland. Gardaí were alerted to an incident in Belview, Co Waterford on Wednesday 04 December after crew discovered the men on board the ship.
22 November 2019
16 Men Found Inside Trailer Onboard Stenaline Ferry
An investigation has been launched following the alleged discovery of a number of people inside a trailer onboard a commercial ferry.