Gang man could be charged in Bulgaria

An on-the-run Limerick criminal faces the prospect of a long stretch in a Bulgarian jail before gardaí move to extradite him to face criminal charges here, it emerged last night.

Vincent and Jonathan Collopy from St Mary’s Park are being held by Bulgarian police after they were arrested on Wednesday at a Black Sea resort carrying handguns, ammunition and drugs worth €30,000.

Limerick gardaí will travel to Bulgaria in the coming weeks to move for Vincent’s extradition.

Gardaí issued a European arrest warrant for Vincent, aged 33, two years ago on charges that he threatened a former associate.

Gardaí said it is up to the Bulgarian authorities to take action against Jonathan, aged 25, as the Irish authorities have no warrant out for him.

And if the Belgian authorities indicate they want to bring a criminal case against Vincent Collopy, it is believed the Irish authorities may allow any such case to proceed, given that a conviction may lead to a long prison sentence in Bulgaria.

A Garda source said: “If he was to get a long prison sentence there, the gardaí could move, years down the line, to arrest him on completion of such a sentence and bring him back to face the charges which led to him absconding.”

The brothers were arrested in the Czech Republic 10 days ago, but were later released.

Vincent had narrowly escaped arrest in Manchester shortly after he fled Limerick.

Both brothers were jailed in 2006 for three years each after selling cocaine and heroin to undercover gardaí.