Gardaí say 22 people have been arrested and vehicles seized as part of an operation in the Kilkenny/Carlow area.

The arrests were made during a day-of-action in the Thomastown area on Wednesday.

They were part of Operation Thor/Project Storm - an initiative aimed at preventing crime and disrupting criminal activity.

Of the 22 arrests, 13 people have been charged, five released for files to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and one person has appeared in Waterford District Court.

A further three people have been arrested over outstanding warrants issued by the courts.

A total of 43 checkpoints, targeting the movement of local criminal groups, were carried out during the operation.

This resulted in the seizure of four vehicles under the Road Traffic Acts.

A number of Fixed Charge Penalty Notices (FCPNs) were also issued to drivers for a variety of breaches of the Road Traffic Act.

The operation was led by Gardaí from the Carlow/ Kilkenny division, assisted by the Armed Support Unit.

Some 24 trainee Gardaí, currently based at the Garda College Templemore, also took part.