‘Kinahan thug’ in Breaking Bad garda chase..
Camper van full of cash seized as €1.7m found
Camper van from hit US TV show GARDAI were led on a high-speed chase by a suspected Kinahan gangster as he attempted to flee with a camper van full of cash in what was like a scene from Breaking Bad.
The dramatic moment happened on Saturday night as officers closed in on suspected cartel bagmen in Wexford.
Investigators say they have found €1.7million in separate searches across a number of counties which will be a huge blow for the gang headed up by Christy “Dapper Don” Kinahan.
They discovered wads of cash worth €700,000 in an operation in Clondalkin, West Dublin.
A source said: “This is a huge hit against the gang – they were moving the cash around for safe keeping but gardai were waiting.
“One of the men arrested is a criminal who has links to Ballymun in Dublin and is directly linked to the Kinahan group.”
The dramatic chase happened as detectives arrived at a property in Faugh Mills, Co Wexford – as they arrived a GARDA overtime cuts are now affecting vital armed cover and an operation targeting gangland gun crime.
Units in Dublin and checkpoints as part of the anti-kinahan/hutch Operation Hybrid have been hit.
A source said: “Everyone accepts the camper van fled at speed. Armed gardai gave chase and eventually overtook the van and made an arrest. Inside the van they found a huge amount of cash.
The garda swoop began at 10.45am on Saturday as they discovered a huge sum of money after stopping two vehicles off the Clonard Road in Co Wexford. During the Kinahan Budget overspend but these are critical operations and it is going to have a knockon impact.
“The concern is there is a reduction in at least one ASU patrol – officers are very worried about the ability of these units to provide armed cover in respect of a serious incident or terrorist threat. Every operation led by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, four men were arrested on suspicion of money laundering offences.
Then yesterday afternoon a fifth suspect, a 39-year-old woman, was arrested in Wexford.
Two men are due to appear at Wexford District Court this morning at 10.30am charged in relation to the seizure of cash.
The other two males and the woman division in the Dublin Metropolitan Region will also have to provide members to police the port which is another draw.”
A report issued to gardai in the Dublin north inner city has advised them the cuts will come into effect from today.
In a separate direction gardai were told on health and safety grounds a 70-hour have been released without charge and files are being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecution.
Assistant Commissioner John O’driscoll said the continuing operation is a further blow to the cartel.
He added: “Depriving organised crime groups of the proceedings of their criminal activity is a particular priority for the Garda Siochana.” Armed gardai are used in gangland operations
cap on individual overtime a month. Responding to criticism last week Commissioner Drew Harris said the force must work within the cash available. He added: “Regrettably, An Garda Siochana will significantly exceed the Budget this year. This is not a sustainable position.”