A land and forestry investment fraud involving €4.5m has been uncovered by gardaí from the National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB).

Two men were arrested on Monday and are being questioned in Bray and Dún Laoghaire Garda stations.

As part of this investigation, the GNECB has frozen a significant amount of money held in Irish banks.

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A male in his 40s who had been detained at Bray Garda Station in relation to alleged investment fraud and money laundering offences involving up to €5m is scheduled to appear before Dún Laoghaire District Court on Tuesday, charged in connection with the investigation.

It is believed detectives have discovered over 200 people who have been deceived into buying the same plots of land in Roscommon and Laois.

The investors are said to come from all over Europe. None are from the Republic of Ireland.

Those who visited were shown the same plot of land and assured the trees would return a profit.

The investors paid up to €30,000 to a company which sold the same plots of land to numerous people.

The two men are being detained under money laundering legislation.