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Dutch police arrest four after discovery of arms bound for Ireland
Thursday, 4 September 2008
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Dutch police have arrested three men and a woman and seized firearms and cash in connection with a major international organised crime investigation involving Gardaí and the PSNI.
Authorities in Amsterdam say it is one of the biggest hauls of illegal weapons there in recent years.
Earlier this week four men were arrested in connection with the same investigation in Dublin, Belfast, Offaly and Tipperary.
Dutch police raided a number of commercial properties in Amsterdam today following a tip off from Gardaí.
They seized 165 guns including new Glock pistols, 7,000 rounds of ammunition, silencers, laser-sights, computers, mobile phones and €20,000 in cash.
Three men and a woman aged between 27 and 53 were arrested - they are due to appear in court in Rotterdam on Friday.
Earlier this week, four men were arrested in Dublin Belfast, Offaly and Tipperary in connection with the same investigation.
Three of the men remain in custody while one man appeared before Blanchardstown District Court in Dublin earlier today.
42-year-old Thomas Mulqueen from Pairc Clochair, Borrisokane in Co Tipperary was charged with the possession of heroin and cannabis for sale or supply.
20 kilos of heroin and 10 kilos of cocaine, with an estimated street value of four million euro, as well as 40 firearms were seized on Tuesday in Dublin and Belfast.
He was remanded in custody to Cloverhill Prison until next week.
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Joe, surely the main point to be made here is that these weapons have been taken out of the hands of criminals who could have used them to kill you or any other innocent citizen of this country?
I really think the security forves should be congratualted on this massive haul. A lot of work must have gone into watching these gangsters and getting the timing of the raids right.
Finally Joe, if you had read the story properly, you would realise that it was not just the PSNI, but also the Gardi and other European police forces who were involved in this triumph of law over disorder!
Sometimes people here become so obsessed with events on this tiny little island that sits on the western shores of Europe, that they forget there is a great big world out there and that we are only a VERY small opart of it.
Posted by Centaur | 07.09.08, 17:48 GMT
First of all, it is great news that these arms have been confiscated. We will never know for sure how many lives have been spared because of this good police work.
However, once again we have Mr. Orde waxing dramatic. Why does the so-called chief peace officer need to drag out the word WAR in a part of the world where tension and distrust seems always prevalent among the various groups? I really believe that this man not happy in N.Ireland and, is also so far over his head in this job that it isn't funny.
A LEADER is needed in this job, no matter what his or her religious affiliation is.
Posted by Edward | 06.09.08, 18:02 GMT
Yes Joe, but perhaps there remains at the upper echelons of the PSNI a vestige of the old RUC/MI5/MI6 command and control, unseen and unseeable but yet all powerful and controlling, and perhaps these same shadows who pull the strings in Ulster still see the UDA as a kind of useful auxillary or reserve police force in their Doomsday Scenario planning
Stranger things have happened in Ulster
Posted by Mr Conspiracy | 06.09.08, 15:49 GMT
Because their hands are tied by the policies of the assembly.....a policy endorsed republicans.
Posted by Dave | 06.09.08, 15:38 GMT
It’s all nice and tidy, Orde telling us about these weapons, but the bigger question is why is the RUC/PSNI not scooping the massive arsenals of weapons and ammunition from loyalists, which the RUC/PSNI admitted recently to knowing exactly where they are?
Posted by Joe Murray | 06.09.08, 13:48 GMT