SUSPECTED GANG CHIEF MAY FACE NEW CHARGES

Irish gangland figure John Cunningham, believed to be chief of a major
drugs and weapons trafficking ring worth more than pounds 8m smashed
by a combined Irish and Dutch police operation last March, yesterday
waived his right to appear before Dutch judges at a public pre-trial
hearing.

Cunningham (49), of Ballyfermot in Dublin, is charged with trafficking
and possession of huge amounts of drugs and at least 20 weapons at his
Dutch hideout.

Further money-laundering charges involving millions of guilders are
expected to be brought shortly.

Shortly after his escape in 1996 from Shelton Abbey open prison in Co
Wicklow where he was serving the final years of a 17-year term imposed
for kidnapping Jennifer Guinness Cunningham arrived in Holland.

He is charged with trafficking 100,960 ecstasy pills with a street
value of over pounds 1.4m, possessing 50 kilos of amphetamines worth
pounds 600,000 and exporting 1,020 kilos of hashish and an unspecified
number of weapons to Ireland.

Other charges relate to a haul of 100,000 ecstacy pills seized in
Belgium and possession of a large number of weapons and ammunition in
Amsterdam.

Yesterday the defence said witnesses it wanted to call included two
chief detective superintendents from Ireland.

As the gangster was being lifted, 25 people were arrested in Ireland.
All were later released but files have been sent to the DPP and a
Garda source indicated yesterday a number of people are due to face
charges.

Cunningham was remanded in continuing custody and a further pre-trial
hearing will be set within a three-month period.