Irish Officials Ordered Silence During Secret Flight of 33 Criminals

Irish authorities deported 33 convicted criminals to Poland and Lithuania on a chartered flight on January 25, 2026, as part of a targeted operation led by Gardaí, the national police service of Ireland.

The operation involved the removal of 31 men and two women from Dublin. The aircraft first stopped in Poland before continuing to Lithuania to complete the deportations. According to reports from the Irish Post and Mayo Live, the group consisted of 17 Polish nationals and 16 Lithuanian nationals.

Legal Basis for Removal

The removals were carried out under European Union law, which allows member states to deport non-national citizens who have been convicted of criminal offenses. Each of the 33 individuals deported had a documented criminal history within Ireland.

The Garda-led operation was designed to ensure the secure transfer of the convicts to their respective home countries. The use of a chartered flight allowed authorities to manage the security of the 33 individuals simultaneously rather than through individual commercial travel arrangements.

Broader Deportation Trends

This operation follows a series of recent deportation efforts by the Irish government targeting foreign nationals. In a separate action, the Garda National Immigration Bureau deported 63 South African nationals on a chartered flight following orders issued by Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan. That group included ten individuals identified as criminals and nine children.

These coordinated efforts reflect a broader strategy by the Irish Department of Justice and Gardaí to enforce deportation orders and remove individuals with criminal records or those without legal residency status from the state.