Analysis: A record year of seizures is tempered by the level of gangland activity tied up in the expanding drugs business, writes Conor Lally
While the National Garda Drugs Unit has just enjoyed its most successful year ever, 2003 will be regarded as a year during which the State's drug gangs showed a level of arrogance that has not been seen since before 1996 when Veronica Guerin and Jerry McCabe were murdered and the Criminal Assets Bureau was established.
Not only have drugs worth more than €100 million been seized, but 17 men have lost their lives in gangland murders, compared with 10 in 2002. The gangland murder rate is now slightly higher than it was in 1996.
Garda sources say a generation of young criminals is now beginning to emerge, particularly in west Dublin. There are now 17 gangs in the State falling into the "highly organised" category, compared with 12 in 1996.
These gangs are sourcing weapons from dissident republicans and from crime gangs in Europe and the former Balkan states. Automatic weapons have now fallen into the hands of drug gangs in both Dublin and Limerick. And in Limerick in recent weeks gardaí have recovered a number of long-range weapons suitable for long-distance sniper-style attacks.
This discovery has raised fears among gardaí that their own lives, as well as those of feuding gang members, are in danger.
Limerick's most senior officer, Chief Supt Gerry Kelly, has said that, while his officers have "some chance" of controlling and solving attacks using short-range weapons, there is "no chance" of controlling attacks with long-range guns. The New Year has begun in Limerick against the background of fears of revenge attacks. The life of Mr Owen Treacy is most immediately in danger. He was the State's key witness in the trial against five men who murdered his uncle, Kieran Keane, last January.
That murder was preceded by the alleged abduction and release in January of the two Ryan brothers, Kieran (19) and Eddie jnr (20). Keane's murder followed, as did two more linked tit-for-that killings: John Ryan (47) in July and Michael Campbell-McNamara (23) in October. The only good news for gardaí is that the five who killed Keane are now serving life in prison.
The events of the early months of the year also brought national attention to Limerick's crime problem.
The Garda helicopter and Emergency Response Unit were drafted in, and more money was made available for overtime.
The result has been the jailing of almost 30 people. Some have been convicted, while others are on remand awaiting trial. The drugs operations on both sides of the dispute have been seriously disrupted.
The latest blow for Limerick's criminals was the seizure in Santry, Dublin, of €3.5 million worth of cocaine, heroin and ecstasy on December 20th, believed to be destined for Limerick.
In Dublin, a feud in Finglas and Ballymun, which has claimed three lives, and the murder of a prominent member of the Westies gang were the key events.
In the Ballymun-Finglas feud Michael Scott (25) was shot dead on April 19th. The killing was linked to an altercation at a cider party in Finglas just hours before he was killed. The murder in July of Willie O'Regan (32) is believed to have been a revenge attack for Mr Scott's killing.
On July 9th Victor Murphy, from Finglas, was found dead at Dunsink Lane. It is believed he was shot accidentally when in a car with other men. At least one of the men in the car was part of the feud which claimed the lives of O'Regan and Scott.
On October 9th Patrick Sheridan's body was found at Scribblestown Lane, Finglas. Sheridan (27) had been shot in the head in a gangland-style killing.
While the deaths were not related to a drugs turf war, the nature of Sheridan's killing demonstrates the extent to which drug dealers believe they are, once again, a law unto themselves.
Sheridan was killed by a drug dealer who believed he had information to pass on to gardaí. Garda sources say he was murdered as a precaution and to send a message to others that speaking to gardaí will not be tolerated.
The Blanchardstown-based Westies gang were again to the fore. One of its leaders, Bernard Sugg (23), was shot dead by a rival drug gang in August as he sat drinking in the Corduff Inn.
In May the gang stole 14 guns in a raid in Balbriggan, during which a family was tied up. The gang stored the guns in a house in Cavan.
When they went to retrieve them later they became involved in a shoot-out with gardaí. One of the gang was hit but survived and is believed to have fled to Spain. The gang is still operating.
The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, is planning to introduce new measures to make gang membership an offence, as it is in Austria and Canada.
With many of the younger gangs now established and record amounts of drugs and high-velocity weapons in circulation, measures greater than legislative changes may be needed to contain the drug-related violence in the year ahead.