Gang leader had many enemies

Yesterday's gangland murder victim was perhaps Ireland's most prolific criminal, writes Conor Lally.

Yesterday's gangland murder victim was perhaps Ireland's most prolific criminal, writes Conor Lally.

On the morning of Friday, September 6th, 1996, The Irish Times carried a graphic photograph on its front page. It was of Dublin man Michael Brady.

He was pictured behind the wheel of his car outside his rented apartment in the Clifden Court complex on Dublin's Sarsfield Quay. He had, as was clear from the photograph, been shot in the head.

Brady had raped and murdered his own wife, Julia, in their Clondalkin home in December 1985 after a day-long drinking binge. He had left her body in the living room of their house in Harelawn Park, Clondalkin, to be found by their young children.

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He served almost 10 years in prison for the killing and had been released about 18 months before his death. Gardaí believed his killing was revenge for his wife's murder. They believe Brady was killed by Julia's brother, Martin "Marlo" Hyland.

Brady's murder was Hyland's first serious calling card. In the decade between the Brady killing and Hyland's murder in Finglas yesterday, Hyland demonstrated a relentless appetite for serious criminality. He was known to every detective in the city, had an impressive property portfolio and was more involved in gun crime and top-end drug dealing than any other living criminal of his generation.

Hyland was originally from Cabra. He lived between his many houses in west Dublin, afraid that if he stayed in any one property for too long his many enemies would study his movements and target him. Hyland's big opportunity came with the shooting dead of drug dealer PJ Judge outside the Royal Oak pub in Finglas.

At the time, Hyland was working closely with Judge in running the latter's drugs empire in Finglas, Cabra and Ballymun. Following his boss's murder, Hyland took over the business.

In recent years he had become one of the biggest importers of heroin and cocaine into the Republic. He was also known to deal in firearms. He was involved in a major €2 million construction industry Revenue fraud which involved former members of the IRA.

When the Garda established Operation Anvil in 2005 to target organised crime gangs in Dublin, Hyland found himself at the top of the list of targets. But it wasn't until Anvil was up and running for a few months that gardaí understood the extent of Hyland's business.

He had become so big that a spin-off investigation, Operation Oak, was established. This involved members of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Organised Crime Unit. These were supported by the Garda National Drugs Unit, the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab), the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation and the National Surveillance Unit.

About 30 of Hyland's associates have been arrested under Operation Oak. More than €23 million worth of illicit drugs have been seized.

In May his solicitor's offices were raided as well as a number of his houses. Financial documentation was taken for examination by Cab. In July firearms were seized in one of his Cabra houses.

In May Operation Oak was intensified following the murder in Raheny, Dublin, of money launderer and drug dealer Patrick Harte (42), a Finglas native. Harte had flooded Finglas with drugs which had brought down street prices. Hyland was angry that his former friend was muscling in on his patch and he had Harte shot.

In August, when €400,000 worth of cocaine and nine firearms were seized near Athboy, Co Meath, the drugs were traced to Hyland's gang. One of those arrested with the drugs was Drogheda man Paul Reay (26). Hyland feared Reay was about to turn Garda informer and ordered his killing. The father of three was shot dead three weeks ago. Such was his involvement in crime that Hyland, also a father of three, was suspected of playing a peripheral role in the shooting of Latvian woman Baiba Saulite in Swords last month. The killers may have received support from Hyland's gang, such as a stolen car or the weapon used.

Hyland had no major convictions. He had a lengthy list of motoring convictions. He once sued the Sunday World which described him as a major drug dealer. In 1999 he appealed the termination of his dole money when Cab began investigating him. He bought a winning Lotto ticket from a man known to him. He used the €250,000 winnings to explain his wealth.