'Mafioso' kidnap racket is smashed
Monday May 29 2006
GARDAI have smashed a Mafia-style kidnap and extortion racket being carried out by a Lithuanian gang across the country.
Seven Lithuanians were in custody last night after a week-long garda operation which led to the recovery of firearms, stolen cars and other property.
At least five people were kidnapped by the gang, who then forced members of their families to hand over cash for their release and also made off with their vehicles.
Gardai believe the number of extortions carried out by the gang may be even greater, as some of the incidents have not been reported because of fear.
All the victims so far were Lithuanians living in this country. So far detectives have established that the gang struck in Kilkenny, Carlow, Dublin, Mullingar and Monaghan.
The gang preyed on people advertising their cars for sale on a genuine website on the internet.
The criminals kept a close watch on the website and then contacted a likely victim and asked to see the car.
Armed with handguns, the thugs kidnapped the car owner. They held him captive until a cash ransom was paid and, as well as taking the car, they sometimes stole keys to their homes and took other property.
One victim, who was held captive in Mullingar last week, was not released until a ransom of €5,000 was handed over.
This incident resulted in a massive garda operation, spearheaded by Assistant Commissioner Dermot Jennings, and involved detectives from Mullingar, Kilkenny and Clondalkin in west Dublin, backed up by members of the national bureau of criminal investigation.
It culminated in a garda swoop on a house in Rathcoole in south Dublin at the weekend and the arrest of seven suspects, all Lithuanians living here for some time.
The seven were being held for questioning last night at Clondalkin garda station under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. A decision on whether to release or charge them will be taken today.
- Tom Brady and Breda Heffernan
