Murder victim was the leader of a criminal gang

The Republic's latest gun murder victim was the leader of a criminal gang with an international reach, and had served time in prison in Ireland and his native Lithuania.

Gintaras Zelvys (43), a father of one, was gunned down yesterday morning at a second-hand clothing collection business he ran with his wife on the Greenogue industrial estate, Rathcoole, Co Dublin.

Angel of death
He was known to deal in steroids and sported tattoos popular with major Eastern European gangs, including one covering his back in a large "angel of death" design.

Gardaí are exploring if he was shot by rival Lithuanian criminals. If so it could be the first fatal shooting in the history of the State involving a foreign crime gang targeting other foreign nationals.

The dead man had only been released from prison in Ireland in February. He was jailed in 2007 for seven years arising from his involvement in organised crime. He and a number of other Lithuanians were travelling to meet people in different parts of the country on the pretence of buying second-hand cars that had been advertised for sale. However, when they met the sellers they then stole their cars, beat them and extorted money from them.

Nominate other victims
They specialised in targeting other Eastern Europeans and in some cases demanded money the immigrants had saved while working in Ireland. They demanded between €5,000 and €10,000 from their victims and forced some to nominate other victims from the Lithuanian community in Ireland.

Zelvys also had convictions for sexual assault, robbery and prison-breaking in his native Lithuania. When jailed in Ireland he ran a phone and drug-smuggling operation in the State’s maximum security prison in Portlaoise, which is reserved for paramilitary prisoners and the highest-risk organised criminals in the State.

When the extent of his smuggling operation came to light he was transferred from Portlaoise to Castlerea.

Extortion racket
Living in Celbridge, his extortion racket stretched across a number of counties including Kildare, Monaghan and Westmeath. He was caught during a major Garda operation in 2006.

There have been at least two non-fatal shootings in the State in which Lithuanians have been wounded as part of turf wars over second-hand clothing collections for export to Eastern Europe and Africa. However, it is unclear if Zelvys was killed as part of one such dispute or for reasons linked to organised crime.

Yesterday he arrived at his business on Grants Crescent in the industrial estate with his wife at around 9.30am to begin his day's work. However, after just moments inside the premises a car carrying a number of men pulled up outside and two went into the premises. Zelvys turned to face them and was shot several times in the upper body with a handgun or sawn-off shotgun. He was rushed to Tallaght Hospital but was pronounced dead.

Gardaí found a silver vehicle with an 05 TN registration abandoned on the Aylmer Estate in Newcastle close to the crime scene. Gardaí believe the car was used by the killers, who abandoned it before trying to set it on fire.

The investigating team at Clondalkin Garda station is hopeful forensic evidence available from the vehicle may link suspects to the murder.