Eighteen people have been arrested in Co Louth at the end of a day of action against criminal gangs.

The arrests were made earlier on Thursday as part of Operation Stratus - which is investigating criminality within the Drogheda Garda district.

A total of 34 searches were also carried out.

Thirty searches were conducted at houses and four separate searches were carried out under warrants issued under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Sixteen people were arrested on foot of outstanding warrants, and two on suspicion of the commission of criminal acts in recent weeks.

A 19-year-old was charged and taken before Dundalk District Court.

A 23-year-old man has since been charged and released on bail.

The Road Policing Unit also seized a total of seven vehicles under Section 41 of The Road Traffic Act.

They issued 38 on the spot penalty notices for various road traffic offences.

While one woman was arrested under the Public Order Act.