Irish drug dealers were kept under surveillance across three countries in Europe as they sourced their drugs and travelled back home, where they were arrested by elite garda units.
The operation was part of an exercise organised by Europol, the EU police agency, combining surveillance and intervention in targeting drug traffickers and hybrid threat suspects.
The exercise, entitled ‘Allies 2026’, involved Irish surveillance teams and specialist intervention units.
In a statement Europol said the exercise comprised two parallel scenarios.
“One started in Ireland – code-named ‘Operation Shamrock’ – and the other in Belgium – code-named ‘Operation Cargill’,” it said.
“The…