Gardai hunt for black Mazda in connection with shooting

The battle for control of Dublin's drugs trade is mounting with the shooting

dead of one of the city's biggest dealers last night.

Seamus Hogan, 49, died after he was shot several times outside a social club in the Crumlin area.

Gardai are seeking information on the whereabouts of a black mazda323, which it is believed may have been involved in the shooting.

It has been reported that gunmen approached Mr Hogan as he left the transport

club just after 9pm last night and fired up to 14 shots at the victim as he stood at a set of traffic lights at the junction of Rutland Avenue and Clogher Road.

He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Gardai initially thought that the gunmen had escaped on a motorbike but now feel that the Mazda, with a 92 Kildare registration, may have been involved in the get-away.

Mr Hogan was well-known to the Gardai as an associate of the assassinated

criminal, Martin Cahill, and it is understood that he had already survived

three previous attempts on his life.

He was due to stand trial in the Special Criminal Court on charges of possession of cannabis.