Authorities in Ireland have collected notable intel regarding influential Irish criminals participating in global drug trafficking after joining a joint operation with European and North American law enforcement agencies that successfully breached a secured messaging service. As part of the Irish leg of this investigation, there have been five arrests and the confiscation of cocaine worth €6 million, alongside substantial amounts of cash, although this probe is still active.
One significant focus of this operation was a notorious drug gang hailing from Dublin, in addition to other key players in the Republic’s drug scene. Arrests of Irish suspects have been made, and evidence collected. Further investigations are underway targeting other Irish criminals based on evidence collected during search operations.
According to Europol, this operation represents a substantial blow to an encrypted communication network utilised for criminal activities encompassing large-scale drug trafficking, killings, and money laundering. The extensive operation involved not only Europol and the Garda but also involved the FBI, French National Gendarmerie, Canadian Mounted Police, and Australian Federal Police, with support from authorities in Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
The most substantial Irish gang involved in this international investigation, which has been a focus of Garda’s specialist units for many years, has had members serve extended prison terms both in the Republic and across Europe.
Despite it not matching the extent of the Kinahan cartel, this group is considered to have benefited from the cartel’s downfall in Ireland, a result of the Garda’s concentrated efforts to quash the Kinahan-Hutch feud from 2016 onwards.
According to Gardaí, this gang, which underwent significant growth during the pandemic and risks severe compromise due to the infiltration of their encrypted messaging service, is believed to have owned notable portions of the cash and largest batches of drugs confiscated in the recent years, including those seized during the pandemic.
Prominent members of the syndicate, originating from Dublin, were the subject of scrutiny even before key information concerning their operations was obtained by the Garda following a breach of their private communication platform. Major raids have been conducted against them over the past few years, with specialised Garda units confiscating their money, narcotics, and a portion of their property.
In addition to their substantial influence within Ireland, the syndicate also has long-standing connections to the international narcotics trade. The acquisition of intelligence concerning central members is seen as a substantial setback for what is currently one of the largest drug syndicates in the Republic.