TWO PEOPLE were under arrest last night as part of an investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) into a major north Dublin drugs gang. The arrests were made when a team of gardaí raided nine properties in counties Dublin, Cavan and Meath.
The searches are part of a wider ongoing Cab operation into the activities of a north Dublin drugs gang believed to be supplying cocaine, cannabis and heroin in Dublin and surrounding counties.
The gang has been importing substantial quantities of drugs from mainland Europe.
The bureau has in recent weeks raided about 30 properties in Dublin, Cavan and Meath as part of the same investigation.
In one of those raids they found a cannabis-growing facility where 400 plants were found in a house near Navan, Co Meath. Gardaí estimated that the cannabis plants, which were being grown in a sophisticated operation, were valued at about €120,000.
Cab established the operation into the drugs gang several months ago in an effort to unravel their financial activities.
Detectives believe the gang has tried to hide its earnings by transferring money overseas and buying property.
The nine locations searched yesterday included five residential dwellings and the offices of four financial and legal professionals. Garda sources said the gang's operation is more extensive and their earnings from drugs much higher than initially thought.
Gardaí believe associates of the gang leader have been involved in gun crime in recent years. Some are suspected of being involved in the disappearance of Dublin man Patrick Lawlor.
The 24-year-old from Darndale has not been seen since December 2004 and gardaí believe he was killed after falling foul of criminal elements.
The people being held last night as part of the Cab probe were arrested separately in Dublin and Cavan. They were being held at Crumlin and Kevin Street Garda stations in Dublin.
Both were being questioned about drug-dealing and money-laundering.
The main target of the operation was not one of those arrested. The gang leader is in his late 30s and is originally from Coolock, in north Dublin. He became well known to gardaí some year ago for his role in major armed robberies.
He has since moved into the drugs business and is regarded as a major player. He lives near the Border and has had an expensive 4x4 vehicle confiscated by gardaí.