Gardaí doubt ‘Spanish Job abductions’

ONE doubting detective has called it The Spanish Job. The rumoured abduction of the notorious Westies in Alicante could be a con job.

That’s the fear among a number of gardaí who have had long dealings with Shane Coates and Stephen Sugg, the two leaders of the Westies crime gang.

“It could be an elaborate hoax, something set up by a couple of them to take pressure off Coates, who, if he comes back here, will be arrested. If he disappears, he doesn’t exist,” said one senior garda source.

Last night, an unconfirmed report suggested that an associate of Stephen Sugg had contacted his family to say he was safe.

“Now that the media has gone out there, whatever criminals that are there will go to ground,” the garda source said. “They won’t find anything, unless he is actually dead and his body is found.”

Gardaí are not discounting the possibility Coates may have been abducted from an apartment in Alicante and possibly murdered. Sugg is also reported to be missing.

The story originated when a person claimed to have witnessed Coates, and possibly Sugg, being bundled into a car. The caller feared for their safety. This is supposed to have happened 13 days ago.

Gardaí can confirm that Coates and Sugg were based in the Alicante area.

Separate theories have circulated of disputes between the Westies and various drug gangs; Mediterranean, Moroccan, Russian, English and Irish.

Gardaí have supplied pictures and fingerprints of Coates and Sugg to Spanish police, who told them they had nothing to fit their description. Gardaí contacted Europol to request the Spanish authorities to investigate.

On Wednesday Stephen Sugg’s father Bernard Sugg went to Blanchardstown Garda Station to express concerns over his son’s safety.

The parents of Coates, who live in Co Meath, have not contacted their local station in Kells. However, Shane’s brother Christian Coates, is reported to have travelled to Alicante.

Gardaí in Blanchardstown and at drug unit level confirm the Westies have continued to supply drugs to Blanchardstown since they fled to Spain last summer.

“The remnants of the gang are still active in Blanchardstown, dealing, robbing cars, breaking into houses. The gang structure is still in place.”

The Westies main rivals in the area are former members of the gang who have vied for dominance in the drugs trade over the last two years. The leaders of the rival gang are looking over their shoulders for the Westies, who have yet to revenge the murder of Bernard Sugg, brother of Stephen, last August.

They know the Westies believe they carried out the murder. This is another reason why gardaí suspect the disappearance could be a ploy.

“They might want their enemies to drop their guard,” said one garda.