GARDAÍ ARE continuing their investigation into dissident republicans in Cork after the Real IRA upped its campaign of intimidation against drug dealers, including a threat earlier this week to kill a suspected drug dealer who survived a previous attack.
Detectives arrested six men and one woman at various locations in Cork on Wednesday in the intelligence-led operation against dissident republicans who claimed responsibility for the murder of convicted drug dealer Gerard “Topper” Staunton in Cork city a year ago.
It is understood that gardaí took the recent threats seriously, including one made against a man in his 30s living outside the city who was previously the target of an attack by the Real IRA in Co Cork over five years ago.
According to sources, the Real IRA in Cork has been recruiting members in the past 12 months and, under a new, more active leadership, has begun issuing threats to a number of suspected and convicted drug dealers in the city and county.
Gardaí believe the upsurge in Real IRA activity is being driven by a man in his early 50s from the north side of the city who has served time for paramilitary offences and a man in his mid-40s currently living on the south side of the city.
Over the past few months, the group has issued a number of threats to drug dealers, including one to a man in his late 50s living on the southside of the city who would have previously been one of the main figures in a south side drug dealing gang.
This week’s arrests by gardaí came on the eve of the first anniversary of the murder of Gerard “Topper” Staunton, who was shot dead at his home at Westlawn, off Sarsfield Road, Wilton, on January 20th last year as he got into his car with his partner and her two children.
The Real IRA issued a statement claiming responsibility for the shooting and although gardaí were initially somewhat sceptical, it is now understood that officers are strongly inclined to the view that members of the Real IRA were involved in the killing.
Last February, the Real IRA distributed leaflets in a number of pubs in Cork in which it warned drug dealers that they would face a similar fate to Staunton unless they gave up their activities. One convicted drug dealer was identified as a potential target.
While the group has claimed in statements issued by the 32 County Sovereignty Movement that its aim is to rid working-class communities of drug dealing, gardaí believe the group is using the threats to extort money from drug dealers.
Last night gardaí applied at a special sitting of Cork District Court for extensions to allow them continue questioning three men arrested under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act on Wednesday morning as part of their investigation.
Another two suspects, including a 22-year-old woman, were expected to be released without charge last night. A 57-year-old man was released on Wednesday without charge, while a 53-year-old man arrested on Wednesday remains in custody.