Two further arrests in crime gang crackdown
Some 24 members and associates of the gang have been picked up in connection with a €2.8m security van robbery in March.
Raids by 300 gardaí on more than 60 houses and apartments across Dublin and Meath has resulted in the seizure of:
* More than €200,000 in cash.
* Drugs valued at €750,000, including €500,000 worth of cannabis and €250,000 worth of cocaine.
* Six luxury vehicles, including Mercedes and BMWs, worth a total of €120,000.
* Three firearms, including two handguns and one shotgun.
The cars were taken from five of those arrested, with two vehicles taken from one of the main leaders. The cars had all been bought recently and had either 05, 04 or 03 registrations.
The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is involved in tracing all the suspected proceeds of crime with a view to applying to the High Court for confiscation orders.
The Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation (GBFI) is also assisting and is investigating how the gang laundered their money.
Gardaí believe that around eight of those arrested were core members of the gang which carried out the heist of the Securicor van and the kidnapping of Securicor worker Paul Richardson and his family.
The gang, which includes three brothers, is led by experienced criminals from the Coolock and Finglas areas of north Dublin.
Another person arrested is an employee of Securicor and is being quizzed about possibly supplying inside information to the gang on this and other heists.
The individual and his girlfriend were picked up from their homes in the Crumlin area of south Dublin.
The remainder of those arrested are thought to have offered support to the gang as well as partners of gang members.
All of those arrested were detained under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act on suspicion of firearms offences or on suspicion of withholding information in relation to serious crime.
They can be held for an initial period of 48 hours, followed if need be, by a further 24 hours on application to the courts.
One person was released yesterday, leaving 23 people still in custody.
Senior gardaí were last night expected to decide whether to apply for a further 24-hour extension or bring charges. A number of those detained were previously arrested in connection with other raids, but were not charged.
