Nine men have been arrested in County Waterford as part of an investigation into Money Laundering and 'Smishing'.
Smishing involved sending fraudulent SMS or WhatsApp messages, often pretending to be delivery companies or financial institutions.
Out of the nine arrested, two men are currently charged before the courts.
They are charged with alleged offences under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001, as well as Part 7 of Criminal Justice Act 2006.
As part of the investigation, Gardaí seized €1.12 million in cryptocurrency and froze €30,000.
They also seized two vehicles - a Volkswagen Golf and a Mercedes, as well as identifying a property in Dubai.
Investigating Gardaí found links between organised criminal connections across Europe, the UK, Dubai and South Africa.
Protecting yourself from Smishing
Gardaí have published guidelines on protecting yourself from phone, text or email fraud. They include;
- Be wary of texts, especially if you are expecting a delivery.
- Be wary of cold calls - always ask the caller their name. Just because it looks like an Irish number doesn't mean it is.
- Never click on links, or give away any personal data.
- Get advice from a trusted person before taking any action.
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