'Hole in the Roof' gang members arrested by gardaí

Gardaí have arrested four members of an organised crime group known as the 'Hole in the Roof' gang which officers believe were behind at least 45 robberies nationwide in the past year.

Detectives targeted the Romanian organised crime gang as part of a massive surveillance operation, according to a report in the Irish Independent.

They suspect the group has been terrorising the country for more than five years and it is understood they may have been involved in a number of robberies from business premises in Mayo.

The eastern European group is thought to have netted more than €1 million worth of stolen cash and cigarettes and is believed to have been military trained.

Gardaí announced details of the operation which led to the arrest of four people - three men and one women - during the course of 11 dawn raids in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

All the suspects are Romanian nationals - a woman in her 20s and the three men aged in their 30s and 40s.

The four were still being held last night at various stations where they were being questioned under the provisions of anti-gang legislation, the newspaper report stated. 

Gardaí believe that the gang members based themselves in Enniscorthy because of its easy access to Rosslare Europort, which is around half an hour's drive away.