Man and wife held in Real IRA investigation

THREE people — including a man and wife — were arrested yesterday as part of a major investigation into a dissident republican faction in Dublin.

Yesterday’s planned operation, involving up to 100 armed and unarmed officers from Dublin North Central division, backed up by the anti-terrorist Special Detective Unit, was linked to an investigation into a long-running turf war between the so-called Real IRA and drugs gangs.

It is believed the searches were part of an effort to put a squeeze on a Real IRA gang which is led by two brothers.

It is believed the home of the brothers was among the houses searched but nothing was found and neither was arrested.

Gardaí also searched a well-known pub where gardaí believe door security is controlled by the brothers.

They found a small amount of ammunition in a shed at the back of the pub, and this has been sent away for ballistic examination.

They also recovered a small amount of cocaine, worth €500, in an office on the premises.

A man, his wife and her brother were arrested in relation to the discovery of ammunition under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

They can be held for up to three days, on application to the courts.

Gardaí also searched an apartment on Talbot Court in the north inner city as well as properties in Cabra, Baldoyle, Coolock and Raheny in north Dublin and a house in Perrystown, south Dublin.

Gardaí have become increasingly concerned at the threat posed by the gang and at its willingness to use violence and intimidation in feuds with criminal gangs, including a crime gang formerly headed by murdered boss Eamon Dunne.

The dissidents have been using the cloak of anti-drug vigilantism and the protection of working-class communities in their efforts to take control of the lucrative security trade at pubs, through which they can deal drugs.

The brothers — who have convictions for receiving firearms training at a Real IRA training camp — have also been extorting drug gangs and demanding a cut of their profits to allow them to operate.

As reported in the Irish Examiner recently, the dissidents threatened staff at a pub in the north inner city.

The pub in question is owned by one of the Dunne gang leaders.