A Garda boss leading investigations into the murder of two young men has warned youths across the country that even low-level drug dealing “is enough” to get them killed.

A well-known criminal from the Crumlin area of south Dublin is the main target of the operation, which was carried out this morning and involved several armed units.

The Criminal Assets Bureau is leading a major operation targeting a criminal “unknown” suspected of laundering the proceeds of the Kinahan crime cartel.

Gardaí recovered an arsenal of high-powered weapons, loaded magazines and an assortment of ammunition in what is thought to be their first success against an organised crime gang.

Garda figures appear to indicate a sharp rise in the quantity of cocaine being trafficked into the country, replicating trends across Europe.

Gangland murder victim Eric Fowler was under pressure to pay a drug debt and had separately ordered a local criminal to pay a debt owed to him.

A major drug trafficking outfit recently hit by the Criminal Assets Bureau is suspected of being behind the importation of a massive haul of cocaine intercepted by Garda gang units.

A record number of new proceedings targeting the assets of suspected crime bosses were brought before the courts last year.

Garda operations against feuding gangs and roaming burglary groups are believed to be driving a surge in the number of people being held on remand in prison.

Gardaí in Dublin are dealing with 522 “live” threats to life, with 11 of them assessed as “critical”.

A busted “backyard” drug factory linked to the Kinahan crime cartel was capable of producing up to 7,000 ecstasy pills every hour, gardaí believe.

The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is examining the source of funds being used to purchase properties and vehicles by a Limerick criminal gang.

There is an “unprecedented” number of people before the courts or in custody on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, Garda bosses investigating the Kinahan crime cartel have said.

This is a family, not a cartel.

As undertakers mounted the floral displays on to the top of the horse-drawn carriage, the rain turned to sleet.

Three cars worth €100k, 20 watches worth €200k, and €28,500 cash seized from drug dealing brothers.

Irish criminals in the Netherlands will be “tracked down” and “handed over to the Irish authorities”, Dutch police say.

Irish criminals in the Netherlands will be “tracked down” and “handed over to the Irish authorities”, Dutch police say.

There’s always a temptation to say a major drugs haul represents a ‘significant blow’ to the crime gang being hit. Researchers have long complained of the tendency of the media, and gardaí, to make such claims, writes Cormac O’Keeffe.

The publishers and authors of a book about the Kinahan crime cartel have apologised in the High Court to a Dublin man and stated he has no association with the Hutch or Kinahan gangs.

Gardaí have scored another success against the Kinahan crime cartel after they arrested a suspected hit squad member after he landed off a flight at Dublin Airport.

Gardaí have been set targets this year to cut crime, increase victim satisfaction, and improve public ratings, in the first such policing demands on the organisation.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

Gardaí do not suspect a serious knife attack on a member of the extended Hutch family is linked to the feud with the Kinahan crime cartel.

Gardaí fear the attempted murder of a man in the early hours of yesterday has resurrected a feud that previously claimed the life of a youth and the near killing of an unarmed garda.

Gardaí suspect that a “huge seizure” of cash — €350,000 in vacuum-packed bags — was about to be smuggled abroad to pay for a massive drugs or firearms shipment.

Two women and a man were arrested yesterday as gardaí close the net on those behind the spate of gangland murders in Dublin’s north inner city.

A Garda chief has said he is “absolutely confident” that investigations into four murders in his area will be successful.

Frontline gardaí predict the unprecedented violence on the streets of Dublin “will only get worse” and fear for the lives of unarmed gardaí responding to the shootings.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been criticised for saying he “can do nothing to stop” the current spate of gangland murders, which has claimed seven lives in 100 days.

Gardaí can see “no immediate end” to the killing spree by the Kinahan crime cartel, which yesterday carried out its sixth murder, all aimed at the rival Hutch gang.

Garda intelligence has stated that there is an “imminent” danger of a revenge attack on members of the Kinahan crime cartel, the Irish Examiner understands.

Community workers in an area hit by three feud murders have called on Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald to visit the locality and reassure people who fear being “shot on their way to the shops”.

Community activists in Dublin’s north inner city are to hold a meeting and press conference tomorrow to demand action to prevent further feud murders in the locality.

Martin O’Rourke was trying to turn his life around and was expecting another child when he was gunned down in Dublin last week.

Gardaí are investigating reports a gunman shot dead an innocent homeless man in a reckless attempt to murder his intended target.

The Policing Authority has decided that it may require access to “a certain level of operational detail” on organised crime and related garda intelligence to fulfil its role. The move by the agency follows a letter it received from a deputy garda commissioner regarding the authority’s wish to discuss these issues with the garda commissioner.

Gardaí were granted 51 court authorisations to conduct covert surveillance on criminal and dissident gangs in the year ending last July.

A major Garda operation is due to take place this morning against a number of organised crime gangs.

Gardaí believe they have made a major breakthrough in the investigation into the Regency Hotel murder of gang boss David Byrne.

In the dead of night, Susan Collins got the answer to her call. At 4.30am came the shuddering from the Garda helicopter low overhead.