Second man arrested in connection with West Cork and Kerry machinery and livestock thefts

A man aged in his late 30s has been arrested under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007, as part of ongoing investigations into the theft of agricultural machinery and livestock in the West Cork and Kerry.

He is currently being detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 at a garda station in County Kerry.

Another man, in his early 20s, was previously arrested on June 13 of this year in connection with multiple reported thefts of agricultural machinery and livestock in the Kerry and West Cork garda divisions.

According to a garda spokesperson, speaking on June 13, the thefts were reported in late 2022 and early 2023.

“The thefts, which occurred from November 2022 to February 2023, resulted in approximately €110,000 of farm machinery (including a tractor and slurry tanker which were later recovered) and livestock being stolen.

“Through an extensive investigation conducted by gardaí from Cork West and Kerry, it was suspected the thefts were linked to an organised crime group believed to be involved in the removal of livestock and machinery from this jurisdiction.

“On Tuesday 13 June 2023, a number of vehicles were seized during the course of a number of searches of residences and farmlands in North and West Kerry,” the spokesperson said.

The searches were carried out by gardaí from the Cork West and Kerry divisions, assisted by gardaí from the regional Armed Support Unit from Limerick, along with local Scenes of Crime unit members and Community Policing unit members.

A man in his early 20s was arrested on June 13 as part of the operation and was detained at a garda station in Kerry under the provisions of Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007.

He was released without charge late on June 16 and gardaí said at the time that a file would be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Gardaí say their investigations are ongoing.