A major multi-agency checkpoint on the M17 at Tuam brought drug-driving arrests, vehicle seizures and deportations on Tuesday, September 16, as Gardaí and partner agencies mounted a high-visibility operation targeting crime and road safety.
The checkpoint, which lasted over three hours, was carried out by An Garda Síochána in conjunction with the Road Safety Authority, Revenue, Customs, the Department of Social Protection and Galway County and City Councils. Transport Infrastructure Ireland implemented a traffic management plan to divert southbound traffic outside Tuam during the operation.
Three motorists tested positive for cocaine and cannabis in roadside drug tests. Several other vehicles were seized for lacking tax or insurance, and one dangerously defective car was taken off the road.
Immigration checks at the checkpoint led to two individuals being refused Leave to Land. They are scheduled for deportation tonight. Two more people were arrested on foot of outstanding Deportation Orders.
Gardaí also arrested a disqualified driver, while Revenue seized a foreign-registered vehicle. The Department of Social Protection identified individuals for further investigation.
Inspector Adrian Queeney of the Galway Roads Policing Unit said the operation was designed to send a clear message on road safety and criminal activity.
“The purpose of the operation is to have a high enforcement of road traffic legislation; high-visibility presence,” he said. “We’re testing drivers for impairment, such as under the influence of drugs. We’re also out to deter the movement of criminals using our road network.”
Superintendent Padraic Burke, North Western Region Roads Policing, highlighted the broader scope of the day’s activity.
“Today, in collaboration with our partner agencies, we’re focused on environmental and wildlife crime. That incorporates metal theft, the transportation of waste and the movement of animals without permits,” he said.
The checkpoint formed part of a wider Garda strategy to reduce road deaths, clamp down on road traffic offences and disrupt the free movement of criminals across the national road network.
Authorities said the operation underscores the importance of joint agency enforcement in tackling crime and protecting communities across Galway and the wider western region.
