Operation Amethyst was a Garda Síochána

Garda Síochána

, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...

 (police) operation targeting child pornography

Child pornography

Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...

 in the Republic of Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. Involving simultaneous searches on May 25, 2002 of over a hundred individuals suspected of downloading child pornography, it was one of the largest police operations in Ireland's history.

Following from a United States Postal Service

United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...

 investigation in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, details of 130 people were passed to the Garda Síochána. Several high profile individuals were caught in the operation, including Circuit Court

Circuit Court (Ireland)

The Circuit Court is an intermediate level court of local and limited jurisdiction in the Republic of Ireland which hears both civil and criminal matters. On the criminal side the Circuit Court hears criminal matters tried on indictment with a judge and jury, except for certain serious crimes...

 Judge Brian Curtin

Brian Curtin

Brian Curtin is a former barrister and Irish circuit court judge, who was tried for possessing images of child pornography. After the case collapsed, the question of whether Curtin could continue as a judge became the focus of political and legal dispute. An impeachment motion was launched in the...

and celebrity chef Tim Allen.