Leading member of Kinahan gang targeted in Cab raids

A member of the Kinahan crime gang who has been a close associate of its leaders for over a decade was among the targets during a day of action by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) on Friday.

A total of 38 properties in four counties – Dublin, Limerick, Meath and Longford – were searched.

The leading Kinahan gang member targeted is in his mid-30s and is an armed robber and drug dealer who has properties in north Co Dublin. He has been a target for the Garda and Spanish police for over 10 years.

A number of other men involved in the international Kinahan cartel in Ireland were also targeted during the raids.

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The searches formed part of a new drive by Cab, under Det Chief Supt Pat Clavin, to seize the trappings of wealth – including cars and jewellery – as well as the very significant sums of money or property assets the bureau has always pursued.

“This Cab investigation into an organised crime gang is continuing; today marks a significant development in the progress of this investigation,” Det Chief Supt Clavin said.

“Cab are relentless in their mission to identify the criminally acquired assets of persons and to deny such people these assets.

“The motivation of these organised crime gangs is greed for wealth and we will do all we can to deprive them of this wealth.”

Garda search teams gathered in the early hours of Friday morning and began their series of surprise raids at 5am.

The properties searched included 20 homes, 18 commercial premises, a gym and an industrial unit. Legal and financial companies were searched, where gardaí were looking for financial records.

No arrests were made but Garda sources said the searches were focused on seizing financial records and electronic devices containing data linked to bank accounts, money laundering and the purchase of assets.

Vehicles seized

Five vehicles were seized including an Audi Q7, a Mercedes Vito, a VW Golf Mk 7 GTD and a Honda motorcycle. Five so-called designer watches were also taken by the gardaí, including a Breitling, two Rolexes, a Cartier and Legend.

Cash on deposit in at least one back account was frozen and €15,000 in cash was also seized by the Garda.

A large quantity of seized documents, as well as mobile phones and other electronic devices containing data will be analysed by the Cab to determine their evidential value.

During similar search operations in recent years, documents and data seized uncovered money-laundering methods, cash on deposit and property purchases previously unknown to the Garda.

Friday’s operation was the latest in a series of raids against members of the Kinahan crime gang led by Cab.

Those so-called super-raids began in March 2016, just after the first Kinahan-Hutch feud murders in Dublin.

The first of two Cab-led actions within 48 hours saw 29 vehicles, six motorbikes, jewellery and about €100,000 in cash seized, as well as financial documents.

Two days later during another series of raids involving Cab, gardaí found tracking devices that they believed were being used by the gang to put their rivals under surveillance for the purposes of planning attacks on them.

Drugs, cash and high-value jewellery were also found when gardaí searched 10 residential addresses in south Dublin. Between €45,000 and €50,000 in cash was seized.

While those two super-raids by Cab in March 2016 were the first such actions, several others have followed, with Friday’s operation the latest.