Man arrested at Dublin Airport on suspicion of conspiracy to murder

Suspect detained by gardaí investigating murder attempts on Hutch family members

A man has been arrested at Dublin Airport on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

The man was arrested on Sunday night by gardaí investigating attempts by the Kinahan crime gang to murder members and associates of the Hutch family in Dublin.

The man (36) is understood to have arrived at Dublin Airport on a 7.30pm flight from Spain.

A spokesman for the gardaí confirmed a man in his 30s was arrested at the airport “shortly after 7pm” on Sunday.

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Gardaí who made the arrest have been investigating the attempted murder of James “Mago” Gately, in north Dublin in May.

The suspect who was arrested is alleged to have been involved in the plans to murder Mr Gately, and is allegedly linked to the Kinahan crime cartel. He can be held for questioning for up to seven days.

He is being detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act at Irishtown Garda station in Dublin.

It is understood the gardaí have been following the movements of a number of suspects in Ireland and abroad for some time, including the arrested suspect.

Several gardaí in the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau arrested the man at the arrivals gate in the airport, and were waiting for the flight to land.

Back in May this year Mr Gately was sitting in his car in a large filling station in Clonshaugh, north Dublin, when a black 2008 Lexus car pulled up and opened fire into the vehicle.

Mr Gately was shot several times in his torso and neck, but was not killed as he was wearing a bulletproof vest at the time of the attack.

Gardaí said following the shooting, the Lexus took the M1 to escape the scene and drove up to Ardee in Co Louth, where the car was later found burnt out.

Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien is an Irish Times journalist

Jack Power

Jack Power

Jack Power is acting Europe Correspondent of The Irish Times