STATE TURNS UP THE HEAT ON FOUR TOP DRUG LORDS IN THE SOUTH

FOUR of the country's biggest illegal drug lords are being targeted by the
Criminal Assets Bureau and the Garda National Drugs Unit.

Having tackled most of the major dealers in Dublin, CAB and the Drugs Unit
now plan to carry out a similar operation in Munster and stop the
traditional drug smuggling route through Cork.Top of their list are three
men who between them control the cannabis and ecstasy supply in the south
and a fourth man who has made his fortune from cocaine and cannabis smuggled
through Cork port.

A tax demand for IEP640,000 has been served on Tommy O'Callaghan, Ingleside,
Buxton Hill, Cork, through his wife. This follows a IEP2B75m demand served
on another major drug dealer, Paddy McSweeney, of Fairwinds, Waterfall Road,
Bishopstown, Cork.O'Callaghan is a close associate of Edward 'Judd' Scanlon
who was convicted on Thursday of having cocaine and ecstasy for sale and
supply. Judd Scanlon, O'Callaghan, and a third Cork City man control a gang
importing cannabis and ecstasy from Amsterdam at a rate of 100 kilos per
month.

They sell the drugs on to other dealers nationwide making profits, estimated
by the Garda National Drugs Unit, of IEP170,000 per month.

Scanlon owns properties on the Model Farm Road and in Kinsale and enjoys a
wealthy lifestyle, despite being unemployed. His colleague, O'Callaghan, 44,
is also unemployed but detectives believe he is a millionaire through his
drug dealing. He has over 20 previous convictions for offences including
burglary, malicious damage, entering as a trespasser and for the unlawful
possession of drugs. He uses a former INLA man based in Amsterdam to source
his supply.

O'Callaghan is the first of the three leaders of this drugs gang to be
served with a tax demand by the Criminal Assets Bureau. However CAB officers
have met with members of the Cork Drugs Squad to target both Judd Scanlon
and the third leader of the gang. O'Callaghan is expected to follow the
example of fellow Cork drug dealer, Paddy McSweeney, and appeal the tax
demand.

After the Criminal Assets Bureau was established in July, 1996, it initially
concentrated on the major criminal figures in Dublin. However, the
investigation into the gang which killed journalist Veronica Guerin revealed
they were importing their drugs through Cork Port from Amsterdam. Almost
IEP120m worth of cannabis and cocaine has been seized off the coast in the
past five years, but the Customs National Drugs Team estimate more than half
of the drugs passing through our waters go undetected.