Man to face charges in stolen cars case

One of four men questioned by gardaí in relation to one of the biggest stolen car operations in the history of the State is due to be charged before Naas District Court today with handling stolen property.

The 35-year-old Lebanese man was one of four non-nationals arrested on Monday afternoon when gardaí raided a warehouse at Colbinstown near Kilcullen, Co Kildare.

The other three men are understood to be in the State illegally and face charges under the Immigration Act. They include a Lebanese man in his thirties. Gardaí initially believed the other two men, a 32-year-old and 20-year-old, were also Lebanese but they are now satisfied that both are from Syria.

Gardaí from Blanchardstown and officers from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which includes the stolen car squad, raided the Kildare warehouse and found around 20 top-of-the-range vehicles, all of which were being stripped and prepared for export to eastern Europe.

Among the dismantled vehicles recovered were BMW, Mercedes and Fiat models as well as at least one Kawasaki motorcycle. The most expensive vehicle recovered was a €70,000 2004 BMW. The haul was valued at around €300,000. Many of the cars had already been completely dismantled and packed into a container ready for export through Dublin Port. Some engines, panelling and other parts had been packed with foam and loaded into crates. Other vehicles had simply been cut in half for shipment.

Three BMW vehicles, a Mercedes and a Kawasaki motorcycle had been traced last night. The rest of the haul will be further examined in coming days.

Gardaí believe eight containers full of cars may have been exported in the last eight months, bringing the total value to between €2 million and €3 million. Detectives are now trying to determine how much, if any, of the business done from the Kildare warehouse was legitimate.

Paperwork relating to a company involved in the operation was also seized, as were documents relating to shipping exports. A number of credit cards were found at the leased warehouse and gardaí believe these may belong to the people from whom the vehicles were stolen.

The gang was paying an extensive network of Irish criminal associates to steal cars to order. The vehicles were then being sold to the gang, for up to €20,000 each, and were being stripped and exported for resale as spare parts. Most of the vehicles were stolen in west Dublin over the last six to eight months. However, cars were also stolen in Meath, Louth, Kildare and Carlow.

Thieves broke into houses and stole the car keys before making off with the cars parked outside. A major investigation was established last year when gardaí noticed that many stolen high-powered vehicles were not being recovered. In north and west Dublin alone around 100 high-powered cars have been stolen in the last seven months which have not been recovered.

The operation was tracked to the Kildare warehouse, which was being leased from a reputable business which had no involvement in or knowledge of the scam.