CAB raid sees high-end designer clothing and accessories seized in Dublin
The Criminal Assets Bureau uncovered a house stuffed with high-end designer clothing and accessories when they searched a home in Crumlin, south Dublin.
They seized nine jackets worth in the region of €8,000, two designer handbags valued at around €2,000, a Gucci man bag costing around €700 and Versace flips flops worth €250.
In addition, CAB officers took away four luxury watches, that could be worth up to €8,000.
CAB also took away a total of two high-end cars, one from the property and another from a garage, with a possible combined value of more than €70,000.
The complete haul could be worth in the region of €90,000.
The target, originally from Ringsend, in the south east inner city, has been living at the home in Crumlin with his partner for some time.
They were in the house when the CAB search team swooped.
The target is suspected of being a leading member of a long-running organised crime gang, two associates of which were shot dead in gangland murders within weeks of each other in 2007.
CAB officers are in an evidence-gathering stage and are focusing on the purchase and refurbishment of the target's home in Crumlin.
They are also looking at a council house in Tallaght, south Dublin, which is thought to be in the name of the target's partner, but it not believed to be occupied.
As well as those two homes, a solicitor's office was also searched as well as a garage, both of them in the south Dublin area.
In the four searches conducted, CAB officers seized:
- 162 registered BMW 730D
- 151 registered Volvo XC60
- Four watches (Rolex, Tag Heuer, Breitling and Bvlgari)
- Nine coats and jackets (three Canada Goose, five Moncler and one Prada)
- Two handbags (Fendi Designer and Michael Kors)
- One Gucci Man Bag
Officers took away an encrypted phone and three mobile phones, banking and financial documents as well as other paperwork. A computer hard drive was also removed.
A statement issued by Garda HQ said CAB was assisted by the Emergency Response Unit, local detectives attached to the Crumlin and Tallaght Districts and the Customs Dog Unit.
It said searches were conducted at four locations in the Dublin Metropolitan Region South and South Central Divisions.
“The primary focus of these searches was a residential property in the Crumlin area of Dublin,” the statement said.
“A second residence was searched in the Tallaght area and a further search was conducted at a business premises in the Kilmainham area. A professional search is also being conducted in the Tallaght area.”
It said the operation “targeted an individual with strong links to organised criminality across the Dublin Metropolitan Region and is focused on the source of funds used to purchase and extensively re-develop a substantial property”.
It added: “The operation is a significant development in the on-going proceeds of crime investigation.”
The target, aged in his late 30s, has only minor road traffic convictions despite being suspected of drug dealing, first in his native Ringsend/Irishtown area, before expanding further afield.
Associates linked with him include two men murdered within weeks of each other – car dealer Brian Downes, shot dead on the Greenhills Road, Walkinstown, on October 5 2007 and Sean McMahon, gunned down at his home in Tallaght on November 14 2007.
The target is believed to have gone into business with Mr Downes at one stage.
He is also an associate of an individual who lives in Tallaght.
Industry valuations indicate the BMW 7-series is worth around €45,000 and the Volvo in the region of €27,000.
Retail valuations put the three Canada Goose jackets at around €1,800 and the five Moncler jackets at around €5,000. The Prada jacket is worth around €1,000.
The Fendi handbag is worth up to €2,000 and the Michael Kors around €350, while the Gucci man bag would cost around €700.
