'Slab' Murphy home searched in smuggling probe

The home of top republican Thomas “Slab” Murphy was searched today as part of a massive security operation to smash a multimillion-pound smuggling racket on both sides of the Irish border.

Two men and a woman were held for questioning as police seized cash, cigarettes, fuel and weapons in a series of raids on properties in North Louth and South Armagh.

Security sources confirmed the offensive against organised crime, which also involved money laundering, was one of the biggest ever mounted following months of planning by detectives in Belfast and Dublin.

One said: “This is as big as it gets.”

Murphy, the one-time alleged IRA chief of staff, who is already under investigation by the Assets Recovery Agency probing house sales in Greater Manchester area, was not detained.

But his house in Hackballscross, straddling the Irish border, was among a total of 15 residential and business properties searched.

As well as taking £200,000 in mixed currencies, Gardai recovered 30,000 cigarettes and 8,000 litres of fuel.

More than 30 archive boxes of documents, three tankers and a truck with a fourth tanker concealed inside were also impounded.

Two shotguns and ammunition were lifted, while computers and separate hard drives have been taken for examination.

An oil laundering unit was also seized, Garda Superintendent Kevin Donohoe disclosed.

He said: “At this stage what we are looking at is a serious organised crime operation on both sides of the border.”