Gardaí probe if south Dublin gang was behind gun attack on drug dealer

Gardaí are investigating if the attempted murder last Sunday of a leading drug figure on Dublin’s northside was carried out by a young southside gang.

Detectives have spent time in the Crumlin district to determine whether an outfit there was behind the botched killing, which saw the target surviving and three innocent women receiving gunshot injuries.

Greg Lynch, 28, and from the south inner city, was shot in the face by a masked gunman outside Hanlon’s Pub on Old Cabra Road, in the north inner-city.

A north Dublin crime boss has been widely reported as being behind the attack. This man has previously threatened Lynch’s life.

While this is one line of inquiry, the Irish Examiner understands officers are investigating whether a south Dublin gang is responsible for the attack on Lynch. Detectives from the Bridewell Garda Station have spent time in Crumlin as part of their inquiries and several “people of interest” have been identified.

Sources said Lynch, who has a conviction for dealing heroin, was attempting to expand his territory over the canal into the Crumlin area and crossed local gangs.

The development comes as two unarmed gardaí in Crumlin braved their lives when they disarmed a man brandishing a loaded sawn-off shotgun early on Wednesday morning.

The guards were called to Rutland Grove after three cars were set on fire. At the scene a man told Garda Nathan Foley and Garda Donal O’Donovan that another individual had pointed a gun at him.

When they approached the man, he pointed a gun at them. They disarmed him using pepper spray.

Meanwhile, gardaí are continuing to investigate the false imprisonment and robbery of a Tesco branch manager on Oct 6.

The man had a gun put to his head when he left his home in Laytown, Co Meath, and told to drive to his branch in Crumlin and take out €60,000 from the safe.

It is understood he removed €6,000 and was told by his kidnapper to drive back home. When the gunman examined the money, he assaulted the manager and hit him over the head with his gun, before fleeing.

In a separate incident, gardaí in Donnybrook, south Dublin, are investigating an armed robbery at the Woodbine Post Office on Wednesday morning. A lone suspect, armed with what appeared to be a handgun, entered the premises, threatened staff and customers, and stole a substantial amount of cash.

* Anyone with information is asked to contact gardaí in Donnybrook on 01 6669200 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111.