48 people have been arrested and 21 planned searches have been conducted in the Carlow area over the past three days as part of the Garda's Operation Thor - Project Storm.

Of those arrested, 24 were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 as part of ongoing investigations into thefts, assaults, fraud, burglary and drugs related matters.

19 were arrested on foot of existing warrants, five were arrested with the intent of being charged and will appear before future sittings of Carlow District Court, while twelve have been charged and will appear at local sittings of Carlow and Kilkenny District Courts in the coming weeks.

A total of 42 checkpoints were carried out at locations across the District during the operation, with two vehicles seized under the Road Traffic Acts.