Police examine items seized during cross border raids

Police are examining documents and laptop computers seized during yesterday's cross border raids.

Operation 'Achilles,' a joint operation between the PSNI, HR Revenue & Customs, and Garda, involved searches both north and south of the border targeting IRA finances.

Police confirmed the raids were in connection with suspected organised crime in the South Armagh area.

The searches focused on businesses and homes in the Hacksballscross area, which straddles the border.

Yesterday, the PSNI and Gardai, raided a farm in South Armagh believed to be associated with leading republican, Thomas 'Slab' Murphy. The alleged former IRA chief of staff was not at home when the raid took place.

Numerous other sites were searched during the operation and 12 vehicles, a large quantity of documents, computer records and other items were removed for further examination.

It was reported that around 30,000 cigarettes, a large quantity of fuel and approximately £200,000 of cash in both euro and sterling was also seized.

An Garda Siochana also made three arrests in Louth in the Irish Republic, however all three have since been released without charge.

The operation is thought to be linked to last year's investigation into a property empire in the Manchester area.

It has also been speculated that illegal fuel leaving Dublin Port for the north of England may have originated from the area targeted yesterday.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has said that Thomas Murphy was not involved in illegal activities.

Operation Achilles is one of the biggest cross border search operations ever carried out and it is believed that up to 400 people may have been involved.

(EF/SP)