Leader of cocaine-dealing gang still at large

The leader of one of Dublin's biggest cocaine-dealing gangs was still at large last night following the detention of a number of members of his gang.

Garda from the Dublin Central Drugs Unit raided a house in Dublin's north inner city on Wednesday. Over a kilogram of cocaine had just been delivered to the address and when gardaí raided the house the drugs were being prepared for sale. One of the men tried to escape but was caught.

A second premises was also raided where more drugs were found. The total value of the cocaine seized from the two premises was over €100,000. Gardaí also seized a BMW coupe sports car as part of the investigation and it was being searched last night.

Two of those arrested, one man and one woman, are related to the gang's leader. A third man, believed to be a drugs courier, was also detained by gardaí. A non-national was also detained.

The three men who were in their late 20s and early 30s, and the 36-year-old woman, were in custody in Store Street Garda station last night following the operation and were being questioned under drug-trafficking legislation. They can be held without charge for up to seven days.

Det Insp Jim Cannon of the North Central Drugs unit said the gang were operating at a "very significant level".

The leader of the group is in his 40s. He has been dealing drugs in Dublin's inner city for almost a decade but has never been convicted of any drugs offences. The gang is well known to gardaí and had been under surveillance for some time.

Local TD Mr Tony Gregory last night welcomed the arrests but said members of the local community had informed gardaí of the gang's operations "a long time ago".

"They have been operating with all the trappings we have come to know, big houses and expensive cars. These are not your average small-time petty drug dealers," he said. Two of the gang are believed to own properties in Finglas and Swords as well as new top-of-the-range sports cars.

Fianna Fáil senator Mr Cyprian Brady said the arrests proved information from the public is essential in helping gardaí make arrests. "In many cases those who have made complaints about dealers have had to be patient as the Garda investigations continue."

He said the success of Wednesday's operation shows the policy of putting extra Garda resources into key areas is paying off. "It is essential that we continue to prioritise heroin and cocaine for intervention. It is time to take the dealers off the streets, but gardaí have made clear that for that to happen information is key."