Cornelius Price death: Large-scale Garda operation expected at funeral

Garda are set to implement a large-scale policing operation surrounding the funeral of notorious gangland figure Cornelius Price.

Price, who is a suspect in at least three murders in Ireland, died in a hospital in Wales on Sunday after a long illness. He had been in a coma for about a year as a result of a serious brain condition.

The father (41) of two fled to the UK in 2020 amid a violent gang feud with rivals in the Drogheda area that resulted in four murders and dozens of attacks.

It is understood Price, who is from Gormanstown, Co Meath, is to be buried in Ireland, most likely in Co Louth, an event which will cause significant security concerns for gardaí.

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[ Notorious Irish gangland figure Cornelius Price dies in UK ]

Mr Price had a long list of enemies including many criminals who he assaulted or exploited over the years as he grew his criminal business.

The Drogheda feud has since died down but there are concerns some parties may still be seeking revenge against the Price-Maguire gang, of which Mr Price was a leader. These include associates of Price’s rival Robbie Lawlor who was shot dead in Belfast in 2020 in revenge for the murder of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods as part of the feud.

Once funeral details are confirmed, gardaí are expected to put an extensive policing plan in place to prevent violence or revenge attacks, sources said.

Gardaí are also planning to seek to reinterview witnesses in criminal cases in which Price was a suspect, including murder investigations. Detectives hope Price’s death may mean some witnesses now feel safe enough to make a statement.

In particular, gardaí hope to make progress into the investigation into the abduction and murder of pregnant 21-year-old Ana Varslavane and her partner Willie Maughan.

Price is believed to have lured the couple to his compound in Co Meath in the summer of 2015 before murdering them and disposing of the bodies. The couples’ remains have never been found.

It is believed Price ordered the murders as he feared Mr Maughan might have information regarding the murder of drug dealer Benny Whitehouse in 2014, a case in which Price was a suspect.

Price is also believed to have ordered a pipe bomb attack on the home of Mr Maughan’s sister shortly after he went missing.

Price still has a large number of associates and family members in Ireland, including criminals connected to Limerick’s McCarthy-Dundon gang.

After fleeing to the UK midlands in 2020, he quickly became involved in criminality there, including by offering his services as a mediator in gang feuds.

Shortly after his arrival Price became involved in a plot to kidnap and ransom two men in London. Price and several associates were suspected of abducting and drugging two brothers before making them call their relatives and ask for a £300,000 (€340,730) ransom.

The men were subsequently rescued by armed police and Price was arrested. However, he was diagnosed with the brain illness a short time later and admitted to hospital, meaning his trial never took place.