A NUMBER of people were questioned by gardaí over the weekend following separate investigations into drug-dealing, robbery and other suspected gangland offences in Dublin and Co Clare.
A 40-year-old man was being held last night in relation to the discovery of cocaine valued at €150,000 in Swords, Co Dublin. The suspect, who is from eastern Europe, was driving a car in Swords on Saturday afternoon when he was stopped by members of the Garda National Drug Unit.
The cocaine was found concealed in the vehicle. Gardaí believe it was imported by ferry, hidden in the car, from mainland Europe via Britain.
The suspect was being detained at Ballymun Garda station.
Gardaí in Dublin’s south inner city are investigating the discovery of two viable explosive devices on Saturday morning. The devices were found on waste ground near St Teresa’s Gardens.
The Army’s bomb disposal experts were called in and declared the area safe just before 11am. Gardaí believe the devices, which were wrapped up, had been left for there collection. There have no been arrests.
Four men and a woman were released from custody last night after the attempted ram raid-style robbery of a credit union in Rathfarnham, south Dublin, on Friday night. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The 4x4 vehicle used to ram the outside of the building on Rathfarnham village’s Main Street failed to break into the premises. A number of gang members in the vehicle fled from the scene. However, members of the Organised Crime Unit were in the vicinity and moved in on the raiders. Gardaí found the 4x4 and a second getaway car.
Later on Friday evening, gardaí arrested a 25-year-old woman, bringing to five the number of people in custody at Rathfarnham, Tallaght, Terenure, Dundrum and Rathmines Garda stations.
A number of shots were fired by gardaí when the four men were being arrested immediately after the raid. There were no injuries during the arrest process or at the credit union, where some staff were still on the premises when the raiders struck just after 5pm.
In another Garda operation, five Dublin men were arrested in Ennis, Co Clare, on Friday morning. Gardaí believe the men, who are suspected members of a Dublin organised crime gang, were in Ennis to target a businessman from the area.
Sources said detectives believe the five men had the target under surveillance for a period of time. However, when their car and van was stopped in traffic at 10am on Parnell Street, Ennis, gardaí moved in and arrested the men.
It is understood no firearms were found during the operation.
The five were taken for questioning to Ennis and Shannon Garda stations before being released without charge. A file is being prepared for the DPP.