One of Ireland’s biggest drug trafficking networks has been hit by Gardaí as part of an international operation targeting the use of encrypted phones by organised crime groups to order murders and drug shipments. The Garda operation started on Monday night and continued on Tuesday and focused on various parts of Dublin, including the west and southwest of the city, as well as locations outside Dublin.
It is understood that, so far, 100kg of cocaine, estimated street value of €7 million, as well as over €300,000 in cash has been seized. The Irish Examiner understands that a top target of the operation is a member of the network known as “The Family”, which has its base in Ballyfermot, west Dublin.
The search operation was focused on the seizure of phones and other digital devices belonging to gang members. Five arrests have taken place. Officers sought to gain immediate access to devices before any effort or alert was made to remotely delete their contents - which is a feature of such devices. Gardaí were also looking for consignments of cash suspected of being linked to drugs and money laundering.
It is also understood that previously unknown players in the criminal world have also been identified in the operation. The operation is being led by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB) and was supported overnight and this morning by the Garda helicopter. Their activities are continuing.
The Ballyfermot Gang: A History of Crime
The Ballyfermot gang is led by two brothers and is one of the longest-running drug gangs in the country. In addition to being the country’s biggest heroin importation group for 20 years or more, it has become, in recent years, a major supplier of other drugs, including cocaine and cannabis. Although they previously had links with the Kinahan drug cartel, sources stress they have always operated independently.
The gang also runs an extensive money laundering operation and has been a long-time target of DOCB and its predecessor the Garda National Drugs Unit. The outfit has also been hit on multiple occasions by the Criminal Assets Bureau. This gang has high-level contacts in some of the world’s biggest drug trafficking networks and has travelled to Mexico as part of an international coalition of gangs to meet notorious drug groups such as the Sinaloa cartel.
Global Operation: International Cooperation Against Encrypted Communication
Ireland is one of nine countries involved in the operation, which has been coordinated by Europol, the EU police agency, as well as agencies in the US and Canada. In a statement, Europol said the operation was the latest law enforcement initiative to “disrupt the activities of high-risk criminal organisations” operating across the world.
Details of the operation will be revealed at a press conference in Europol HQ in the Hague, Netherlands, tomorrow, at which Assistant Commissioner for Organised and Serious Crime, Justin Kelly, is expected to speak.
The Europol statement said: “A press conference will be held on Wednesday 18 September 2024 to announce a major action against an encrypted communication platform used for criminal activities, such as large-scale drugs trafficking, homicides and money laundering.
“This operation is the latest sophisticated effort to date to disrupt the activities of high-risk criminal organisations operating from all four corners of the world.”
Countries that took part are Australia, Canada, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States. The EU prosecution agency, Eurojust, also assisted.
Europol said representatives of the following agencies will speak at tomorrow's press conference: Europol, French National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale), United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Australian Federal Police (AFP), An Garda Síochána, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
The Impact of EncroChat: A Turning Point in Law Enforcement
The dismantling of the encrypted communications tool EncroChat in 2020 by French and Dutch police, had, as of June 2023, led to 6,558 arrests worldwide, 197 “high value targets”. Close to €900m in criminal funds were seized or frozen. The operation highlights the significant impact that law enforcement agencies can have in dismantling criminal networks by targeting their encrypted communication methods.
This recent operation in Ireland, targeting the Ballyfermot gang, is a testament to the growing global cooperation in combating organized crime. It showcases the importance of international partnerships, advanced technology, and the relentless pursuit of justice by law enforcement agencies worldwide.
