Man caught in raid swoop was on bail

ONE of the three men swooped on by gardaí as they were about to carry out a raid was out on bail for a serious drug charge, it emerged yesterday.

Gardaí were last night seeking a direction from the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge the men today in connection with the attempted robbery.

The three men, all from Dublin’s north inner city, were arrested as part of a planned Garda operation at Sandyford Business Park in south Dublin on Thursday.

The gang was a top target of a special Garda task force set up to combat cash-in-transit robberies.

The gang has a long history of robbing banks, cash vans and containers holding high-value goods.

One of the leaders of the gang, aged 33, is described by senior officers as “a prolific armed robber” with a number of convictions for armed robbery and aggravated burglary.

A second member of the gang, aged 27, is a notorious criminal figure in Dublin’s northside and has been linked to one recent gangland murder, which is part of a vicious feud. He also faces charges in relation to a major drugs haul in recent years. Despite Garda objections he was granted bail in that case. While a substantial six-figure sum was required for bail, the individual managed to secure the necessary money.

The third man arrested, aged 32, is wanted by gardaí in north Dublin in relation to a serious crime.

Gardaí are pleased with the calibre of the criminals they caught and that no shots were fired and no one seriously injured.

“We’re delighted with the operation. Catching the likes of these guys is worth its weight in gold. It sends out a message to the other gangs, who may now think twice,” said one garda source.

Another garda said: “It was a clean operation, bearing in mind these are dangerous individuals, who were armed.”

The operation came almost two years to the day when two armed robbers were shot dead by gardaí in Lusk, north Dublin.

Union officials for cash-in-transit workers praised the operation. “We would congratulate the guards and the decline in armed robberies over the last year which is to a considerable extent due to the resources put into combating armed attacks on cash in transit employees,” said Kevin McMahon of Siptu’s security branch.

The operation was led by the Organised Crime Unit (OCU), which coordinates Operation Delivery, the cash-in-transit task force, is part of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI).

The secretive National Surveillance Unit (NSU), part of Crime and Security branch, and the elite Emergency Response Unit were also involved.

Local detectives and up to 60 officers were involved in the operation.

The men’s detention was extended for another 24 hours yesterday lunchtime. Pending the approval of the DPP, gardaí hope to charge the men as early as today.