Kosovans held in crime gang raids
Kerry arrests part of nationwide operation
TWO suspected members of an Albanian Kosovan organised crime gang were arrested in Kerry on Tuesday as part of a massive garda operation across the south of the country. The men, who are believed to have been living in Kerry for some time, were arrested in early-morning raids on private residences in Tralee and Listowel.
The raids were made as part of Operation Crake, the culmination of a four-month long investigation into major burglaries on 50 premises — mainly post offices and petrol stations — in the South and South Eastern Garda Regions over the past two years. Two business premises, including a cafe, were also searched in Tralee later on Tuesday morning as part of the operation. Both of the men arrested in Kerry were detained under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 and brought to the Operation Crake incident room at Thurles Garda Station where they are currently being questioned. The men, who are aged in their 30s, may be held for up to seven days under the provisions of the Act.
No charges have as yet been brought. Inspector Dan Keane, who is leading the Kerry side of the investigation, said the raids and arrests were carried out following a lengthy investigation into the burglaries. "The investigation has been ongoing for a number of months and culminated in searches and arrests this morning on premises right across the South and South Eastern Garda Regions as part of the operation. We suspect that both men arrested in Kerry are members of an Albanian Kosovan gang we believe to be involved in organised crime."We suspect the gang to have been involved in burglaries on post offices, petrol stations and similar businesses across Kerry, Limerick and Cork within the Southern region," Inspector Keane told The Kerryman. Burglaries of interest to the operation also took place in Limerick, Cork, Waterford, Tipperary, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny spanning a period from October 2008 to May 2010.
Eight other men have been arrested outside Kerry and are being detained at Waterford, Thurles, Thomastown, New Ross, Mallow and Cahir Garda Stations. Meanwhile, gardaí say the discovery of a replica handgun close to the café premises that was searched by gardaí on Tuesday morning had nothing to do with the ongoing investigation.
- DONAL NOLAN dnolan@kerryman.ie
