Patrick "Dutchy" Holland was found in a house owned by one of the country's biggest drug dealers when gardaí raided it yesterday morning, The Irish Times has learned.
Holland was released from a 12-year prison sentence for drug dealing less than two months ago.
He was found in a house owned by a Finglas-based criminal when detectives from the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) raided it yesterday. The house, which is in the Finglas area, was one of five residential properties raided by the Cab as part of a major investigation into the assets of members of what gardaí believe to be the biggest drug-dealing gang in the Republic.
A solicitor's office used by gang members was also raided by the Cab. The man at the centre of the investigation was found at another of the houses. No arrests were made but gardaí took away a number of boxes of documents. These will now be studied by the Cab in an effort to raise tax assessments and confiscation orders against the gang leader.
Garda sources said they were surprised to find Holland in the house. He had vowed to leave Ireland on release from prison.
Holland (66) was convicted in November 1997 of possession of cannabis for the purposes of sale or supply within the State on a date unknown between October 1st, 1995, and October 6th, 1996. He was sentenced to 20 years but this was reduced on appeal to 12 years.
Holland was a career criminal before he became involved with the John Gilligan drugs gang when he was released from an earlier prison sentence in 1994.
The man targeted in yesterday's operation has been the main target of the organised crime unit within the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
