Twelve held after Garda raid

Twelve men remain in custody this morning following one of the biggest operations against organised crime in recent years.

Twelve men remain in custody this morning following one of the biggest operations against organised crime in recent years.

Some 300 gardaí met at Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin, and in Wexford and Cork stations from 4am yesterday before raiding over 30 locations in a co-ordinated pre-dawn operation.

The target of the so-called “super raid” was a drug-trafficking gang based mainly around Sheriff Street in Dublin’s north inner city but with criminal contacts nationally.

The gang has been involved in a feud in recent years with another faction also based in Sheriff Street. The feud has cost five lives, two of them this year.

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The men arrested aged between 23 and 61 years. A small quantity of cocaine and confiscated mobile phones, computers and bulletproof vests were also seized. Records linked to property investments were also taken from the offices of solicitors and accountants by members of the Criminal Assets Bureau.

Ten of the men are in custody in Dublin while two others are being held in Cork.

Two men appeared before the courts yesterday. One was remanded in custody, the other was released on station bail. The eleven suspects still in custody can be held for seven days.