€200K TO SHOOT PATSY HUTCH DEAD
Gardai swoop on ‘hit squad minutes away from killing The Monk’s brother’
A KINAHAN “hit team” who allegedly tried to murder Patsy Hutch yesterday were to be paid €200,000 by the gang, the Irish Sunday Mirror has learned.
The heavily-armed three-man unit were on their way to shoot Gerry “The Monk” Hutch’s brother when gardai swooped at around 8am in north inner-city Dublin.
A source said: “Had they half a chance they would have riddled him with bullets.”
A DEADLY Kinahan “hit team” were believed to be just minutes away from killing the innocent brother of Gerry “The Monk” Hutch yesterday.
It’s suspected the heavily-armed squad of assassins, who were caught with a sub-machine gun, semi-automatic pistol and revolver, were targeting Patsy Hutch.
It is also believed the crew smashed up a house just off Gardiner Street in Dublin’s north inner-city in a bid to lure the 57-year-old out of the property so they could shoot him.
However, gardai swooped on a van containing three men before they could carry out their early-morning attack – which the Kinahans had put off for a week due to Storm Emma.
A source claimed it was the third attempt on his life.
The men were arrested before 8am as part of an intelligence-led operation by the drugs and organised crime bureau into the Hutch-kinahan gangland feud.
It is understood they were under surveillance and were seen moving a car and van into a basement car park.
The Kinahan cartel are believed to have offered €200,000 to take out Patsy, whose son Gary was killed in Spain in September 2015, as they can’t get to Gerry Hutch who is in hiding.
A source said: “The suspects were arrested close to the spot where the planned hit was to take place. They smashed up a house which they believed Patsy was staying in.
“They were waiting for him to come down and examine the damage so they could take him out.
“Had they been given half a chance they would have riddled him with bullets. With the amount of gun power they had he wouldn’t have stood a chance.
“The cartel can’t get at Gerry so they are targeting the people he cares about.
“They have already murdered three of The Monk’s nephews, his brother Eddie, as well as some of his closest lifelong friends.
“They are probably hoping that if they keep killing off those he loves he will come out of hiding.
“It’s believed the hit team were offered €200,000 to carry out the well-orchestrated attack.
“Had the gardai not been ready and waiting to intervene another innocent life would have been lost.”
The source added the hitmen involved are ruthless and wouldn’t have thought
Efforts at tackling organised crime, particularly where it threatens life, are unrelenting
GARDA ASST COMMISSIONER JOHN O’DRISCOLL YESTERDAY
twice about taking out Patsy as well as anyone else who got in the way.
They said: “These guys are coldblooded. They are in it for the money. Human life means nothing to them.
“One of those arrested is suspected of involvement in a number of murders in the past.
“While another served with the British army for 10 years.”
Two of the men are thought to be brothers from Finglas.
The three men, one aged in his 20s and two in their 30s, were last night being detained at a Garda station in the Dublin Metropolitan region. A fourth man was arrested in a follow-up operation.
As part of searches that took place yesterday in north inner-city Dublin, West Dublin and South Dublin two additional firearms were recovered along with a silencer and ammunition.
Garda assistant commissioner John O’driscoll, who is responsible for special crime operations, said: “We stated on numerous occasions our efforts at tackling organised crime, particularly where it gives rise to threat to life, are unrelenting. The action taken today, through a combination of the resources assigned to SCO and security and intelligence, within the Garda Siochana, has yet again resulted in the arrests of suspects and the associated seizure of firearms.”
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan praised the force for foiling the attempted hit.
He said: “I commend the Garda for their decisive actions in Dublin city centre in an operation in which three firearms were seized and three men arrested.” Local Councillor Nial Ring added: “There are several members of the Hutch family living in houses and apartments within 200 yards of the place where these men were arrested and it is safe to say that any one of them could have been yet another innocent victim of this feud, but for the brilliant preventative work being done by the gardai.” So far 14 men have been killed as part of the ongoing gangland feud.
THE Garda have taken a battering of late for various scandals – but we should salute the brave officers who prevented another potential feud murder yesterday.
Shortly before 8am a suspected three-man kill squad from the Kinahan cartel were ready to shoot dead Patsy Hutch in Dublin’s north inner-city.
They were heavily armed with a sub-machine gun, a semi-automatic pistol and revolver and were reportedly due to collect €200,000 for the hit.
If it wasn’t for excellent police work, Patsy Hutch, brother of Gerry “The Monk” Hutch, would most likely be the 15th fatal victim of the bloody feud.
Officers from the Garda’s drugs and organised crime bureau were waiting and swooped before the gang could strike.
The intelligence-led operation was a huge success for gardai. A suspected deadly hit squad has been taken out of the equation and an innocent man is still alive.
It was the 45th life saved in the bloody feud as the Kinahans try to wipe out the entire Hutch extended family.
Assistant commissioner John O’driscoll, responsible for the Garda’s special crime operations, and his brave officers deserve great praise.
Too often lately gardai have taken a kicking. Today we say well done to the men and women of An Garda Siochana.