Nine men have been arrested as a result of a major police offensive against leading criminals in greater Belfast.

The men were detained in a series of planned searches of properties in an operation, which also covered neighbouring Lisburn, County Antrim, and the seaside town of Bangor, County Down. They were arrested on various charges of robbery, burglary and car crime.

The special operation was mounted in the early hours of Tuesday, January 8, and involved more than 100 police officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Mains said: “This had been planned for some time. Criminal intelligence and crime analysts have been involved.”

Ulster Unionist assembly member for South Belfast Dr Esmond Birnie welcomed the news and said: “Anything which is cracking down on organised crime activity in the area is to be welcomed.”

Meanwhile, a City Hall survey, leaked to the Irish News said that some residents in Belfast believed that paramilitary organisations played a leading role in the running of the city. The report stated that research shows that apart from the city council, the Department of Environment and community groups had the biggest influence.

But of the 1500 residents surveyed as part of the council’s corporate planning for the next four years, 8 per cent claimed that loyalist and republican paramilitaries played a leading role in running the city. According to the report, less than six per cent of respondents believed the assembly, police and local MPs had any impact.

A City Hall spokesman refused to comment on the survey, adding that the research findings, contained within an internal memo, had yet to be presented by the full council and would not yet be made public until later this month. (AMcE)