Detectives hunt gunmen after drug feud attack

DETECTIVES are closing in on two gunmen who nearly killed a young man early yesterday morning.

Officers suspect the midnight attack is part of a local drug feud in the north Dublin suburb of Finglas.

The victim, 24, received two wounds to his legs when attackers opened fire outside shops in the Barry Road area.

The gunmen, both hooded, used a semi-automatic handgun and fired a number of shots, some of which are thought to have missed the target.

The attack happened at 12.30am yesterday at the car park outside Barry Shops. The assailants made their approach and getaway on foot.

The wounded youth was taken to hospital, where his condition has been described as stable.

A Garda source yesterday said gardaí were following “a definite line of inquiry” and that a number of searches had been carried out.

The source said the youth was known to gardaí and that the attack was linked to a local feud.

Meanwhile, in a separate investigation, a man was charged yesterday in connection with a drugs haul in west Wicklow.

Gardaí from Baltinglass, assisted by the Garda National Drug Unit and other specialist units, made the find on the outskirts of Russelstown, Blessington, on Saturday.

The haul included 5kg of heroin and up to 5kg of cocaine.

The cache was contained in a large tupperware-type plastic box.

Officers arrested a 24-year-old man at the scene. He was detained over the weekend at Naas Garda Station under Section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act, 1996.

He was taken to Naas District Court yesterday and charged with possession of drugs and possession with intent to supply.

His case was postponed for a week.