THE NUMBER of wanted people being extradited from the Republic under European arrest warrants has reached record highs, with Polish nationals now accounting for more than half of those surrendered.
Most of the increase in extraditions by the State last year came about as a consequence of a surge in activity by the Polish authorities in their efforts to repatriate people to face trial.
The most common reason EU member states apply for the extradition of people living in the Republic is to answer charges in their countries of origin on robbery, theft or assault charges.
However, suspects living here are also wanted elsewhere in the EU to face much more serious charges, including murder, sexual offences against children, drug trafficking, firearms offences and being members of organised crime gangs.
Last year the numbers being extradited from the Republic almost doubled; 161 people compared to 69 in 2009.
The previous record number of extraditions was in 2008 when 73 people were extradited to the EU member states where they were sought.
It means last year’s total is more than twice as high as the previous annual record since the European arrest warrant came into operation in 2004. Of those extradited last year, 87 were sent to Poland compared to just 20 suspects being surrendered to that country the previous year.
Last year there were 34 suspects surrendered to the UK, 15 to Lithuania, seven to the Czech Republic, four to Latvia and Romania and three to Slovakia and the Netherlands.
There were 26 people extradited last year to the Republic from other EU member states. The vast majority of these, 21 people in total, were arrested in the UK and returned to face trial here.
There were five other suspects also returned here, one from each of the following nations: Spain, Malta, Poland, Latvia and France.
Details of last year’s activity related to the European arrest warrant were contained in the annual report about the provision published yesterday by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter.
The European Arrest Warrant Act came into operation in January 2004, and provides for the arrest here of those sought for crimes committed in other EU member states and their surrender to those states, simplifying extradition procedures between EU member states. The procedure involves the issuing of a request from the member state to the Minister for Justice.
A special division of the Department of Justice seeks further documentation, if necessary; liaises with the issuing body; and then applies to the High Court for the endorsement of the warrant.
If the High Court endorses it (the law requires that the offence alleged corresponds to a similar offence in this jurisdiction), the warrant is endorsed and the Garda arrests and surrenders the person.
