WHAT IS reputed to be the biggest crime gang in the Republic has been targeted by a search team of more than 150 gardaí in co-ordinated raids in three counties. It is the first major Garda operation following the enactment of new legislation criminalising gang membership.
Private residences and the offices of solicitors and accountants along with one financial institution were raided by gardaí looking for evidence of assets and cash generated through gang crime.
Gardaí seized documents, mobile telephones and computers that they hope will provide evidence of contact and co-operation between known criminals which may lead to gang membership prosecutions under the new laws.
The raids took place from dawn yesterday in Dublin, Meath and Louth and targeted a major drugs and armed robbery gang from Finglas, Dublin.
Members of the gang, which was once led by murdered drug dealer Martin “Marlo” Hyland, are suspected of 12 gun murders, five of them since the start of this year.
Twenty-two premises were searched in Dublin yesterday, mostly in the northwest of the city and in north Co Dublin, while there was one raid in Dundalk, Co Louth, and one in Co Meath. Two accountants offices and two solicitors offices were targeted.
The searches were led by Assistant Commissioner Derek Byrne and carried out by armed and uniform members along with members of the Emergency Response Unit, National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Organised Crime Unit, Criminal Assets Bureau and Garda National Drugs Unit.
Among the properties raided were the homes of leading members of the gang including the man who assumed control of the group when Hyland was shot dead 2½ years ago. He was murdered by members of his own gang at a house in Scribblestown, Finglas, in an attack that also claimed the life of plumber’s apprentice Anthony Campbell, who was working in the house when the killers called.
The gang is a major supplier of heroin, cocaine and cannabis. Members are also suspects for a string of armed robberies on cash security vans as well as 12 gangland murders.
On January 7th last, gang members shot dead heroin dealer Michael “Roly” Cronin (35) and his associate James Moloney (26) in Summerhill, Dublin, in a row over drugs. Two weeks later, gang member Graham McNally (34) was shot dead in an internal row.
In March, the gang shot dead criminal Michael Murray (41) in Finglas as part of a localised feud. In June the body of Paul Smyth (34) was found near Balbriggan. He had been shot as part of a dispute with the gang. It has also been linked with the shooting of drug dealers Patrick Harte in Coolock, Dublin, and Paul Reay in Drogheda, Co Louth, in early 2006, as well as the murder in Swords, Co Dublin, of Latvian Baiba Saulite.
The group is also suspected of carrying out the murders of armed robber John Daly in 2007 and heroin dealer Paul “Farmer” Martin in August 2008.
The searches were not specifically carried out under the new Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act, which creates new offences of being a member of or directing a crime gang. However, any evidence found yesterday could be used to strengthen cases under the new Act.