ARCHIVED - Alicante Police arrest Irish drug traffickers possibly linked to murder of journalist in Dublin

The gang of drug traffickers was based in Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa but sent  marijuana to the United Kingdom and Ireland

Agents of the Spanish National Police in collaboration with the Police of Ireland and the National Crime Agency –NCA- have dismantled a group of drug traffickers in Alicante and intercepted four parcels packed with four kilos of marijuana and 15,000 pills - hypnotic drugs-.

Those arrested, led by a well-known Irish criminal, were part of a violent group of drug and arms traffickers and specialized in sending illegal merchandise from Spain to the United Kingdom and Ireland through parcels. In addition to the package seized, the agents have found in the four registered homes another four kilos more of marijuana buds, already packed for shipment, and 11,000 more pills.

A revolver has also been found buried in a garden, of the same make and model as the one used in the murder of a journalist that took place in Dublin in 1996 and whose possible relationship is being investigated.

The operation began last year when it was discovered that in the province of Alicante, specifically in Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa, an organization led by a well-known Irish criminal had settled. This person had been investigated in the past for various crimes and had even served 17 years in prison for importing large quantities of hashish. Alerted by this situation, the agents contacted other police forces and thanks to international police cooperation, the rest of the gang members were identified.
.
Four shipments intercepted
With the first inquiries they discovered that the group had specialized in the shipment of narcotic substances abroad through postal mail. Specifically, they tried to evade controls by hiding the drug inside the packages that were later sent to Ireland and the United Kingdom.

In addition, and thanks to the intelligence work carried out in Spain in collaboration with Irish agents, it was learned that an arms delivery was going to be carried out in Ireland by members of the organization settled there. The operation finally allowed the seizure of three 9mm parabellum caliber pistols, loaded and ready for use.

The investigation has culminated in the total dismantling of the criminal organization.
The six investigated people have been arrested, among them the leader of the group and four house searches have been carried out, where another four kilos of packaged marijuana buds, 11,000 pills, two vehicles, ten mobile phone devices, various documentation have been seized. accounting and postal, useful for vacuum packaging and manipulation of the narcotic substance among other effects.

At the head of the organization was a well-known Irish criminal who was sentenced in 2001 to 28 years in prison - of which he served 17 after appealing the sentence - for importing large quantities of hashish to Ireland. Years later, he was shot four times when he was at his brother's house, although he managed to recover.

In addition, Irish investigators link the organization to the 1996 murder of a journalist outside Dublin, who was shot by two individuals who were following her on a motorcycle. It so happens that in one of the searches carried out in Alicante in the framework of the investigation carried out now, a COLT PYTHON revolver has been found buried in a garden, a model that matches the one used to end the life of the journalist. The Spanish agents are conducting investigations in collaboration with the Irish police to determine if it is the same weapon.