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A major Garda operation has resulted in Gardaí arresting 12 people, and seizing hundreds of thousands of euro, drugs, jewellery, and horses, which is suspected to be the proceeds of the Keane/Collopy crime gang, based in Limerick.
“As part of ‘Operation Coronation’, in excess of 300 personnel from the Limerick Division supported by the Criminal Assets Bureau, Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, the Emergency Response Unit, the Armed Response Unit, Regional Dog Unit, Air Support Unit, members from the Irish Defence Forces and Revenue and Customs carried out a total of 65 searches,” a Garda spokesman said.
First Brigade of the Corp of Engineers assisted by the Infantry searching wasteland near Delmege Park
Picture Brendan Gleeson
The 65 searches took places at dwellings, businesses and on land near the outskirts of Limerick City.
During yoday’s operation Gardaí seized the following:
• 6 financial accounts have been frozen with a total value in excess of €295,000
• Cash valued at €62,500
• 5 designer watches
• 3 vehicles have been seized. A BMW, a VW Tiguan and a Range Rover
• 8 Horses
• Documentation has been seized and is currently being examined by Criminal Assets Bureau personnel
• Cannabis Herb with an estimated value of €8,000
• A Horse Box valued approximately €10,000
“Of the 12 arrests made so far today, 7 are men and 5 are women,” said the spokesman.
“Eight persons (5 women, 3 men) have been arrested for suspected money laundering offences, two persons have been arrested for suspected drug offences, one man was arrested in connection with breaches of the Control of Horses Act, 1996 and one man was arrested in connection with the possession of an offensive weapon.”
“A number of these persons have/will appear before Limerick District Court today, 7th September 2021.”
Gardai said the mammoth operation “remains ongoing” and that “further updates will be issued in due course”.
Today’s searches were aimed at targeting the assets of the Keane/Collopy criminal network which has a main base in St Mary’s Park, Limerick, and are a follow up to searches in June last year, which resulted in gardai seizing around €700,000, drugs, weapons, and the deeds to a Dubai property.
Two firearms, including a handgun and a bolt-action rifle, as well as an extendable taser baton concealed in a plastic wrapping, were seized in June 2020.
One area where members of the Defence Forces were searching today included wasteland, located adjacent to Delmege Park, Moyross.
A garda source said today’s searches were a follow up to last year’s operation, and were targeting a “crime group in Limerick”.
“There are significant numbers of personnel involved in the searches,” they added.
Last year’s search operation targeted 67 homes, premises, and locations across Limerick, Clare and Tipperary, leading to the arrest of 20 people.
A number of those arrested last year were brought before Limerick District Court and charged with drugs offences.
Gardai recovered €260,000 in cash, as well as €200,000 which was held in 11 bank accounts, three cars worth around €100,000, jewellery and watches with an estimated value of €100,000, drugs with a street value of €23,500, two cocaine pressing machines, and €6,000 worth of clothing.
The Keane gang, which has tentacles across the country and abroad, has been involved in the sale and supply of drugs and weapons for the past two decades.
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