Concern over extreme violence being used by eastern European criminals

GARDAÍ in Dublin and other parts of the country are increasingly concerned at the escalating use of extreme violence by a small number of eastern European gangs.

Detectives are particularly worried at the existence of criminal gangs from the Baltic states. These gangs, like their Irish counterparts, are willing to use deadly weapons and have ready access to firearms.

The gangs are involved in a range of serious crime, including blackmail, intimidation, drug dealing, counterfeiting, smuggling and car theft.

Gardaí found an automatic pistol in a car when they arrested two Lithuanian men in connection with the murder of Latvian national Alexander Filsunins on Sunday.

The fatal stabbing of Mr Filsunins is not linked to organised crime and is thought to stem from his intervention in an assault on an eastern European by a gang of five Lithuanians outside a pub on Sunday morning.

It is not clear at this stage whether those Lithuanian nationals are engaged in organised crime. However, the seizure of a automatic pistol in the car of the two Lithuanians arrested suggests some could be.

Senior officers have identified a number of gangs from Lithuania who are engaged in organised crime. Many of these are of Russian extraction and/or have served in the military in the Baltic states or in Russia.

“We’ve certainly noticed the emergence of Lithuanian gangs,” said a detective based in north Dublin. “There’s a large Lithuanian population here, in Swords and elsewhere. Many are ethnic Russian and there’s an element within them that are serious criminals.

“They are involved in extortion and intimidation. They hold someone ransom and demand money for their safe release. The gardaí aren’t notified as they have instilled fear into the population.

“They stay within their own nationals — they have no dealing with the Irish population or criminals.

“With the enlargement of the EU, the population is very mobile. They have their own transport, so it’s easy enough for them to bring in firearms.”

He said many had military training from service in the Russian or Lithuanian armies and had “no compunction” about using firearms.

Gardaí suspect that some of the gangs may be controlled from their home countries.

Seven Lithuanians and two Latvians have been murdered here since 2005. Many died at the hands of fellow nationals, often following rows at house parties.

Baltic gangs operating in Ireland

Lithuanian gang boss Gintaras Zeluis was jailed for seven years in February for a violent extortion racket against innocent fellow countrymen. Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court heard that Zeluis, and 20 foreign criminals working under him, operated a racket stretching from Dublin to the midlands. Zeluis served eight years for separate robberies, seven years for rape and one year for involvement in a jailbreak in Lithuania.

Four ethnic Russians from Lithuania were arrested in north Dublin in January following a garda probe into a suspected arms-dealing operation. Gardaí uncovered five pistols and ammunition in two raids around Swords.

Two Lithuanians were shot and injured when a members of a Lithuanian gang targeted them at their house in Cabra, north Dublin, in March 2006.