TWO MEN AGED in their 30s and 40s have been arrested as part of a major garda crackdown on a Dutch organised crime gang operating here. It’s the latest development in a large-scale operation being headed-up by gardaí, in cooperation with Dutch, German and UK authorities. Gardaí say the gang have “strong Irish connections”.

To date €2.5 million in cash; €2.5 million worth of cannabis herb; along with firearms, ammunition, grenades and luxury cars have been seized in Ireland and across Europe in connection with ‘Operation Majesty’.

The gang being targetted are believed haves set up a massive criminal operation  importing cannabis from The Netherlands into Ireland via the postal system.

A huge cache of arms was uncovered by gardaí in the South West as part of a raid carried out as part of the operation last year. 28 grenades, two submachine guns, two pistols and assorted ammunition were found in the May 2012 raid. Cannabis worth around a million euro was also seized, and two men arrested as part of that crack-down are currently before the courts.

Enquiries carried out by the gardaí, assisted by the PSNI, revealed the the drugs had been delivered by a courier company from the Netherlands — via Germany, England and then Northern Ireland; in June of last year a man was arrested by PSNI officers in connection with the South West consignment.

Dutch raids

The operation then moved to The Netherlands, with Dutch authorities undertaking a number of major raids.

In March of this year, police stopped a transporter carrying two Irish-registered vehicles — discovering €140,000 in cash in the tyres and arresting one person.

Three drug consignments destined for the Irish market were later intercepted, containing cannabis herb with an estimated value of €400,000.

Some of the cash seized in Holland [Garda Press]

The Dutch operation culminated in a huge crackdown in the southern town of Moerdijk. Along with another €800,000 worth of drugs, officers also found the following:

• 20 high value vehicles, including one Rolls Royce, three Bentleys and six Harley Davidsons.
• €2 million in cash
• 40 mobile phones & Blackberrys
• Details of 50 to 60 suspect bank accounts (all since frozen)

The raid also yielded a number of ledgers, detailing the transport of drugs between the country, Germany and Ireland.

The latest stage of the raid was completed in Ireland today: the two men were arrested following seven searches in the Dublin and Meath areas, carried out by officers from the National Drug Unit and the Organised Crime Unit.

The two are being held for questioning tonight at Blanchardstown Garda Station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act (Drug Trafficking).

Read: Wife and children of Dublin-based doctor killed in Leicester house fire