Seventeen people have been arrested as part of a multi-agency operation led by the Garda National Immigration Bureau.
Gardaí confirmed a search operation was carried out at a number of business premises in Dublin city centre on Thursday, with representatives from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), Revenue and the Department of Social Protection also present.
The searches were in relation to fraudulent Covid-19 social welfare activity, leading to five businesses being searched with the aim of disrupting, eliminating and prosecuting the fraudulent activity.
During the course of the operation, nine men and eight women, with ages ranging in their 20s to 60s, were arrested for immigration offences.
Sixteen of those arrested have since been charged and are due to appear in court on November 18th.
One man, aged in his 50s, remains in custody and is due to appear before Dublin District Court on Friday in relation to an outstanding bench warrant.
