RTÉ Crime Correspondent Paul Reynolds
Earlier today.
During RTE’s News at One.
…RTE’s Crime Correspondent Paul Reynolds spoke to presenter Bryan Dobson about the recent arrest and questioning of a former senior guard.
Paul Reynolds: “The senior officer is still being detained this lunchtime. He was arrested under legislation targeting organised and serious crime in relation to what the officers from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation are doing is they are looking at the activities of a specific organised crime group that works out of the north inner city. They’ve had a massive seizure of drugs, over €600,000 worth of cannabis and they’ve also seized a substantial amount of cash. And they’re looking at not only the activities of this gang but the tentacles or the links of that gang.
“And this has led them to arrest this former senior officer. Now he’s been detained under legislation targeting organised crime, anti-gang legislation, Section 50, which is some of the most draconian detention periods in the country, up to seven days. His period of detention has already been extended twice. Once by a superintendent for 18 hours, and then subsequently by a chief superintendent for a further 24 hours.
“So detectives have been questioning this man since Wednesday, for the past two days. If they want to question him any further, they have to apply to the courts, they have to go before a judge and present their case for a further detention of 72 hours. And the 48-hour period is coming to an end and is due to end at some stage this afternoon, so we’ll know later this afternoon if this man is to be, if his detention is to be extended further, for further questioning. If he’s to be released without charge, of a file sent to the DPP, or if he’s to be charged with a serious offence in connection with organised crime, and brought before the courts this afternoon.”
Bryan Dobson: “Paul, so far as is possible to judge, what’s been the reaction within the gardai to this, this arrest and the investigation?”
Reynolds: “Well to be honest with your Bryan, the reaction has been seismic. This has caused major shock, anger and bewilderment as people all over An Garda Siochana, and indeed in the wider justice area, just wondering what is going on. And that’s for a number of reasons: first of all because of who this man is. He’s well known across the gardai and the justice system, he worked in An Garda Siochana for 30 years. Also because of his former role. He was a senior officer in An Garda Siochana. He had managerial control in positions not just in Dublin but in other parts of the country, there’s also the issue of the size of the drugs found: €600,000 worth, 30kilos of cannabis, that’s not an amount for personal use, that’s a wholesale quantity being moved by an organised crime group, that the gardai are questioning a former senior garda about.
“Also the fact that this man, like many other people who have retired from their employment, like many retirees, he maintained friendships and contacts with people who he worked with in his old job and, in this case, that’s serving members of An Garda Siochana. Now this is normal in all forms of employment, contacts are maintained for normal social interaction, functions, funerals, society or sporting outings, those sort of occasions. However, the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, who are investigating this matter, now have to examine those contacts. And as part of this investigation, so far, the phones of two serving members of the gardai have been seized.
“And while my understanding is that nothing untoward so far has been found, no one else has been arrested or indeed suspended as part of this investigation. But, of course, the real fear is, as well, it’s not what has happened here and suggested links between a retired garda and organised crime groups, there is the fear of reputational damage to the work of An Garda Siochana.”
Their shock.
Can you imagine it?
Me too neither.
Listen back here
Yesterday: Round Up The Unusual Suspects
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Update:
