Four Dublin men today became the first men charged under tough new laws to tackle organised crime.
David Atkinson, Gerard Carey, Philip Kerfoot and Dwayne Stacey were first arrested on October 16th last year after armed gardaí foiled a post office raid in Drumcondra, north Dublin.
The four were brought before the Dublin District Court where they were charged with being involved in a gang between July 23rd and October 16th.
The men - who are all originally from the Crumlin area of south Dublin - could face up to 15 years in jail if convicted.
Mr Atkinson (41), of Windmill Park, Crumlin; Mr Stacey (22), of South Circular Road, Dublin; Mr Carey (33), of Kildare Road, Crumlin; and Mr Kerfoot (38), of Ross Road, Christchurch, appeared together in court for the short hearing.
The court heard all four were arrested in the early hours of this morning and brought to separate Garda stations where they were charged.
Detective Garda Mark O'Riordan, of the National Bureau of Investigation, told the court the men made no reply when charged with participation in the activities of a gang.
He said Mr Stacey and Mr Kerfoot had also been charged with conspiracy to rob Drumcondra Post Office on Lower Drumcondra Road, on October 16th. The other two men were charged with this offence earlier this year.
Their solicitor Darragh Molloy made no application for bail and all four were remanded in custody until May 18th.
The four men were granted legal aid.