GARDA EXAMINING DRUG LINK TO TYRE-SLASHING

Gardai in south Dublin are investigating an outbreak of tyreslashing in two
residential areas overnight and are considering possible connections to
local drug dealers.

Early yesterday, tyres on 31 cars in Templemore Avenue, off Highfield Road
in Rathgar, were damaged. Tyres on four cars in Brandon Road, Drimnagh,
were slashed a short while later.

The slashing of tyres in residential areas is reminiscent of the actions of
the gang led by the Dublin criminal, Martin Cahill, who was shot dead in
1994. This included a bomb attack which seriously injured the forensic
scientist, Dr James Donovan, in 1982.

Cahill also embarked on a campaign of tyre slashing across the south of the
city in locations where he thought gardai or State officials lived.

It was not known yesterday if the latest slashings were connected to
organised criminal gangs. However, Garda sources said at least two drugs
gangs in the south of the city have had their operations damaged by Garda
action in recent weeks. One of these gangs includes the nephew of a leading
member of Cahill's gang.

This man's nephew, a suspected drug dealer, was arrested this week. Gardai
found a roll of pounds 100 notes in his back pocket even though he has no
obvious means of income. The matter has been referred to the Criminal
Assets Bureau, which can seize illegal earnings.

The Garda action has disrupted the activities of a Crumlin gang which has
become one of the largest suppliers of drugs in the city.

Also this week, another prominent member of a Drimnagh-based gang was
arrested and is expected to face charges connected with drug dealing. The
man is from Crumlin and works for a family in Drimnagh which are also
heavily involved in the trade.

The drugs trade has been increasing in the past two years in the south of
the city as gangs have begun re-establishing the trade after the successful
operations which followed the murder of the journalist, Veronica Guerin, in
June 1996. That investigation broke up the largest drugs gang in the city.
However, it appears that a number of gangs in the south of the city, have
built up substantial drug networks once more.

Gardai have also been involved in investigations into the intimidation of
witnesses by organised gangs. A campaign of intimidation has been taking
place and at least three families have been forced to resettle outside Dublin.