A CO CARLOW-BASED Real IRA member is allegedly controlling an extortion racket which takes €1,000 a month from pubs in Dublin.

A RIRA member told the Belfast Telegraph that dissident republicans take control of pub doors for three nights a week and are paid €1,000 by the pubs every month.

The money is called ‘prisoner’s money’ and is meant to provide for IRA members after their release from prison, but the Belfast Telegraph was told that the money instead goes towards terrorist activity, or is kept by the criminals themselves.

The source, who allegedly provided information to MI5 as well as the Irish intelligence service G2 and is now on the run, says the extortion is widespread.

He said that two north Dublin brothers are enforcing the fraud in Dublin on behalf of the Carlow-based dissident: “The Dublin brigade has been operating as enforcers for a security company run by a Real IRA member based in Leinster.”

Controlling access to pubs would help a gang’s distribution of drugs.

That Dublin gang are suspected to be behind the murder of alleged drug deal Sean Winters, who was shot dead in Portmarnock just over a week ago.