Galway Bay fm newsroom - There are 20 investigations underway in the Galway Garda Division being carried out by the Criminal Assets Bureau.
The Chief Bureau Officer gave a presentation on the work of CAB to a meeting of the City Joint Policing Committee this week. (25/6)
Chief CAB Officer, Peter Glavin told members of the JPC that there are 9 garda CAB profilers operating in the Galway area.
There are 8 current full investigations and 12 preliminary investigations underway, where further information is needed.
The aim of the presentation was to encourage people to contact CAB confidentially if they have information that someone's lifestyle is funded by crime.
Peter Glavin said he wants to assure the public that they will never be called to give evidence and all CAB needs is a tip-off to look into a situation.
The Criminal Assets Bureau is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.
CAB staff include gardaí, revenue, employment affairs staff, I.T experts, social protection staff, legal advisors and forensic accountants.
Mr. Glavin said the majority of CAB investigations are based in Dublin and Galway has a relatively modest level.
He said that CAB in Ireland is now one of the first agencies in the world to seize cryptocurrency and was set up primarily in the wake of the murder of journalist, Veronica Geurin.
The biggest seizure of assets by CAB was 2.7 million euro from a branch of the Kinahan gang but Peter Glavin says CAB also sees the merit of going after low value criminals too.
JPC Committee member, Joe Loughnane raised concerns that people in Ireland who don't like each other might have a tendancy to make malicious complaints.
The Chief Bureau Officer said that all investigations are thorough.
Councillor Padraig Conneely wanted information about the Galway investigations but Peter Glavin says he is bound by rules on confidentiality and he doesn't want to give someone who is the target of a CAB investigation a heads-up.
