Gardaí investigate foreign gangs over kidnap rackets

GARDAÍ are investigating a number of Russian and Lithuanian gangs believed to be conducting extortion and kidnapping rackets in the greater Dublin area.

The gangs are well armed and are often involved in a range of organised criminal activities, including blackmail, intimidation, drug dealing, counterfeiting, smuggling and car theft.

The gangs operate within their own ethnic community and do not cross the line into the local population, for fear of coming to the attention of gardaí and local criminals.