State seeks to seize drug boss’s properties
According to CAB sources, Hyland reportedly buried his assets mainly in land, houses, drugs and weapons.
One key investment area where the Cabra man was thought to have stashed his assets before his execution was in insurance policies. Already, the Revenue Commissioners have focused on people putting untaxed assets through single premium insurance policies.
Some 26 settlements, totalling €3.53 million, came from Revenue’s insurance investigation this year.
One senior CAB source revealed: “The eight properties and houses are in Dublin and the surrounding area but we have to separate his legitimate money first.”
A portion of money Hyland claimed belonged to him was an uncle’s genuine Lotto win, estimated to be around €200,000.
The houses are in the possession of Hyland’s family and associates. Worth millions of euro, some include three-bedroom properties.
CAB have previously seized homes and, in 2005, managed to sell off the former home of criminal Martin Cahill, known as the General. The house in Rathmines, south Dublin, while stripped from searches for drugs, money and documents, netted a sale price of €904,000 for the State.
CAB officers are also trawling through investments abroad which belonged to Hyland.
At least seven people, mainly his criminal associates, are thought to have benefited from Hyland’s assets. His main bulk of assets had already suffered a big hit under Operation Oak.
Gardaí managed to seize over €20 million in drugs, 11 firearms and around €250,000 in cash.
Meanwhile, the body of plumber Anthony Campbell, an innocent bystander shot dead while working at the house where Hyland was murdered, will today be released to his family.
Detectives were confident progress was being made on finding the killer. A number of associates of Hyland’s have already been quizzed.
In addition, fear of a bloody Christmas led to specialised garda units with machine guns patrolling Dublin’s streets, as part of Operation Anvil, set up to tackle the gun culture.
City centre detectives warned yesterday the situation with gang feuds, shootings and drug levels among the capital’s criminal had reached epic proportions.
“It hasn’t been this bad since journalist Veronica Guerin was killed,” said a veteran garda.
