Gardaí have targeted one of the State's biggest drug dealers for the second time in two weeks with a series of raids by the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Cab, the Criminal Assets Bureau yesterday.
The raids began at five houses in Cabra, Dublin, at 6am and continued until 4pm. A large section of waste ground behind the properties was also searched. There were no arrests but gardaí recovered a handgun, a rifle and a quantity of ammunition.
A high-powered motorbike, stolen in recent days, was also recovered. Seventy officers were involved in yesterday's operation. It was led by the organised crime unit attached to the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, established under Operation Anvil last year to tackle a resurgence of armed gangs in Dublin.
Detectives from Cab recovered a quantity of documents yesterday. These will be analysed as part of an extensive civil action against the main target of yesterday's operation.
One of the five houses raided is owned by this man. The other four are owned by, or home to, some of his closest associates.
The man at the centre of the investigation is originally from Cabra and is in his early 40s.
Gardaí believe he has become one of the biggest, if not the biggest, drug dealer in the State in recent years.
Senior sources said he is surrounded by a large number of associates and that his gang is involved in large-scale drug dealing, armed robberies and extortion. The gang is now the main target for gardaí in Dublin investigating organised crime.
The man was an associate of Patrick Harte (42) who was shot dead outside his home in Edenmore, Raheny, Dublin, on Monday.
Informed sources say the civil action aimed at confiscating the man's assets is well-advanced. Gardaí believe his assets are the proceeds of crime.
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