GARDA COMMISSIONER Fachtna Murphy has expressed concern at the escalation of a gangland feud in south Dublin, but said gardaí had prevented many violent incidents of late.
Some 410 firearms had been seized this year, 213 in Dublin, and major shipments of drugs had also been intercepted.
Some 91kgs of heroin, valued at €18.2 million, had been seized since the start of the year. This is equal to 75 per cent of all heroin seizures throughout last year.
Cocaine seizures had also increased this year with 103kg, or €8.2 million, of the drug seized compared with the 125kg, or €10 million, destined for the Irish market seized in all of last year.
Mr Murphy said the feud in Crumlin and Drimnagh was impacting on “old” and “decent” communities.
Two shooting incidents and a hand-grenade attack in the two areas last week were linked to the feud which has claimed 10 lives since 2000.
Mr Murphy said while specialist units such as the Organised Crime Unit and Emergency Response Unit had enjoyed success against those involved, the force needed the co-operation of the community to catch the feuding criminals.
“I want to appeal to the community that any further information they can give us – they’ve been very helpful up to now – but any further information which they will give us, which will prevent these dangerous incidents, to come and talk to us.”
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said he shared Mr Murphy’s concerns about violence in Crumlin and Drimnagh. “I think the entire nation is concerned, not least the people in those areas. That type of criminality is eating away at those very decent communities, the old established communities.”
