Gardai quiz ‘Hutch ally’ as 3 arrested in operation
leadership of the gang – was arrested in a dramatic operation yesterday in which elite gardai seized €2million of drugs in West Dublin.
The criminal, who has survived at least two hits by the Kinahan drugs cartel, was taken into custody following the massive seizure.
The 35-year-old suspect was one of three men arrested after DOCB officers seized assorted drugs in an operation that began when detectives stopped two cars on the M50 near Blanchardstown yesterday afternoon.
Gardai say they also conducted a planned search of a house in the Blanchardstown area as part of the probe.
All three suspects were being held in a garda station last night on anti-drugs legislation. They can be detained for up to a week.
A Garda spokeswoman confirmed the operation.
She said: “A coordinated planned search of a residential address in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, was also conducted.
“During the course of the operation cannabis, MDMA, cocaine, ecstasy tablets and cannabis jellies with an estimated street value of €2million was seized. All drugs are subject to analysis by Forensic Science Ireland (FSI).
“Three males were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking and are currently detained, pursuant to the provisions of Section 2 of Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, at a Garda station in Dublin.”
The Hutch aligned suspect has more than 20 convictions and is well known to gardai.
One of his convictions is for an attack on a woman.
He has long been a target of the deadly Kinahan cartel but has managed to stay one step ahead of them, despite several close calls.
Gardai believe the Hutch gang is heavily involved in the drugs trade in Ireland and Britain.