11/03/2016

Gardai launch further organised crime raids across Dublin

Gardai at the scene of the search this morning
The searches are being conducted as part of an on-going investigation into an organised crime group which is involved in the distribution, sale and supply of controlled drugs in Dublin city centre and adjoining suburbs.
Sources say these raids are connected to those on Wednesday in which high powered cars and motorbikes were seized from a home and premises in Crumlin.

Search operations commenced at premises at 10 private residences in the Kevin Street and Pearse Street areas in Dublin involving 80 Gardaí today3
Search operations commenced at premises at 10 private residences in the Kevin Street and Pearse Street areas in Dublin involving 80 Gardaí today
This morning's raids on 10 addresses in and around the south city commenced at 7am.
They are focused on the same criminal gang that were raided in a multi-garda agency operation in Crumlin on Wednesday morning.
Addresses that were the focus of attention today range from flats, apartments and houses in the Dublin 2, Dublin 8 and Inchicore areas of the capital.
At one address in the Liberties area a sniffer dog was brought in to assist in the search of a house which had multiple CCTV cameras on it.
One man was arrested during the raids.
It is understood he was detained after a background check confirmed an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
Gardai are equipped with battering rams and were prepared to enter homes by force if necessary.
On Wednesday over €1m worth of property was seized and panic room discovered as raids were conducted on suspected associates of the Kinahan drug cartel .
Gardai said a large amount of money had been spent on renovating some of the houses searched, which had been fitted with items ranging from jacuzzis to high-end TVs.
Substantial investments were also made in security measures, including bullet proof windows, heavily reinforced doors and CCTV systems.
However, gardai were stunned to discover convicted criminal Liam Byrne had a panic room  designed to escape an attack by would-be assassins in his Crumlin home.
His brother David Byrne was shot dead in the Regency Hotel by a rival gang as part of a bloody feud with the Hutch family last month. The shooting sparked off a retaliatory strike, which claimed the life of taxi driver Eddie Hutch, who was not regarded as being a member of the rival outfit but was singled out because of family connections.
Sources told the Irish Independent the security work was done some time ago, suggesting that Byrne had been concerned about becoming a gangland target long before the feud broke out with the Hutch clan.
“He (Byrne) was clearly planning ahead when he re-built the house because he had a purpose-built panic room of the type recommended to potential kidnap targets by the security industry,” said a source.
“The doors and windows can withstand even a small bomb which means he could buy himself time to get his family into the safety of the panic room.”
The property also boasted a steam room and a bar which was fully stocked with champagne, a source said.
Members of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) were forced to swap the breeching equipment they normally use in forced entries for angle grinders to break through the door yesterday morning.
Detectives said the home in Raleigh Square had been turned into a fortress, with a front door designed to withstand the blast from a small bomb.
Gardai  dealt a severe financial blow to the Irish-based associates of the global drug trafficking cartel, led by Dubliner Christy Kinahan.
The homes of several suspected key associates were among a series of premises searched in dawn raids in the capital.
Almost 30 top of the range cars, six motorcycles, jewellery and expensive Rolex watches – with a total property value estimated to be well in excess of €1m – were seized, as well as €100,000 in cash.
A betting slip for a bet of €38,000 for tonight’s Liverpool V Manchester football match was also found. The odds on this slip were 7/4.
The operation, co-ordinated by officers from the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), focused mainly on houses close to the home of David Byrne.
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