Drug lords join with dissidents in extortion bids

DRUG bosses are joining up with dissident republicans to extort cash from rival drug gangs, it has emerged.

Gardaí said crime chiefs are adopting this tactic to lower the risks to themselves, in both financial and criminal terms.

Gardaí said this trend is part of a noticeable rise in the use of extortion by dissidents in the last year, many of whom are demanding cash from business people.