One of the men shot dead by gardaí during a botched post office raid in Lusk, Co Dublin, yesterday, was a career criminal who specialised in armed robbery and drug-dealing.
Colm Griffin (33) from Canon Lillis Avenue in Dublin's north inner city is believed to be the only raider of the five-strong gang carrying a firearm.
Griffin had served a number of prison sentences and had agreed to pay the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) several hundred thousand euros in respect of a tax demand. Griffin had already paid some of the money to the Cab.
The bureau prosecuted him about two years ago for breaches of revenue laws, charges which he pleaded guilty to at the time. After that, Cab assessed him for tax on the income gardaí estimated he earned from robberies and drug dealing.
He was one of the main targets of the Garda's Operation Inlaw, a special investigation established to crack down on drug dealers operating in the north inner city. He was responsible for the sale of a large amount of cocaine in the area. Senior Garda sources last night described him as the leader of the five-man gang involved in yesterday's botched raid.
He received a 10-year prison sentence in the early 1990s and had been released about three years ago.
He was facing charges in relation to the robbery of almost €500,000 worth of jewellery which was stolen in Dublin last year. The haul was later recovered in Ballybrack, Co Dublin.
He had once threatened to burn a garda's house and to stab another through the eye with a syringe after he was arrested twice in the same day nine years ago. He had a history of drug use.
The other raider killed, Eric Hopkins, was also known to gardaí but he was not as prolific as Griffin. The 24-year-old was from Rutland Street in the north inner city.
Gardaí believe he had taken part in armed robberies in the past and that he was also involved in the drugs trade.
He had been associated all his life with two armed robbers much older than him who were very well known to gardaí. One of these men is a close associate of one of Ireland's best-known criminals.
The other three men involved in the raid were in Garda custody last night. Two were arrested in the post office, while the third was apprehended a short distance away.
They were being held under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act at Garda stations in Clontarf, Coolock and Blanchardstown. They can be detained without charge for up to 72 hours.
