Irish police in van raids swoop

Cash delivery vans in Dublin have been robbed

Irish police investigating kidnapping and security van robberies in Dublin have arrested 20 people.

More than 80,000 euro (£55,000) along with guns, drugs, recently purchased cars and other items were also seized.

Up to 200 gardai took part in searches at homes and premises in north and south Dublin and in Ashbourne, County Meath, early on Wednesday.

It is understood an employee of a security firm involved in transporting cash was among those arrested.

The searches were part of an investigation into the kidnapping of the family of a van driver in Raheny in north Dublin last month and the subsequent theft of over 2m euro (£1.3m).

Just over two weeks later an estimated 2.7m euro (£1.8m) was taken in another security van robbery after the crew had stopped at a garage for coffee.