Gardaí target brothels in Galway prostitution crackdown

 Galway Gardaí are carrying out a number of surveillance operations of suspected brothels and organised prostitution in city centre establishments.

 Garda Chief Superintendent, Tom Curley, confirmed that a dedicated team of Gardaí locally are engaged in detecting the illicit sex trade in Galway.

The operations include Gardaí going undercover to detect prostitution and the illegal sale of sex in city establishments.

The local Garda team is supported by, and liaises with, a national team of investigators that specialises in clamping down on prostitution and brothels across Ireland.

The operations are ongoing, he said, adding he was not going to get into specifics about police operations in a public forum.

Chief Supt Curley said the problem of illicit sex trade and prostitution was difficult to combat because people can be reluctant to come forward with information.

He said like all large towns and cities, prostitution was an issue in Galway and Galway Gardaí had an ongoing investigation in relation to this crime in the city.

Supt Curley said that at particular times of the year in the city, demand for prostitution is increased, including during Galway Races and Galway Arts Festival. Gardaí, he said, step up their operations during those busy times.

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel