Crime gangs are carving out a new money-making racket in the illegal supply of bottled gas.

A specialist Garda agency has launched a nationwide operation to crack down on the booming trade in illicit cigarettes in dodgy markets and rogue ethnic shops.

A man has been given 10-year sentence for his role in an attempted armed raid of a post office where two of his fellow gang members were shot dead by gardaí.

A MARITIME historian’s efforts to identify a 17th century wreck which hebelieved to be a historic slave ship led to his appearance in court yesterday.