15/05/2025
Mounting evidence that foreign gangs see Ireland as a predatory feasting ground.
“Communities are being poisoned by this cancer of criminality.” Ken O’Flynn
Chairman of Independent Ireland Ken O’Flynn has praised the work of special undercover operation officers from the Bridewell garda station in Dublin who have interrupted what is believed to be one of the States most extensive organised prostitution gangs.
Reporting on the matter, the Sunday World revealed that the officers identified a 10-man gang of Romanian nationals who are all based in Dublin led by a 48-year-old Romanian national who also runs a number of businesses in the capital.
It is being reported that the gang have been using takeaways, cafes, barbers and butcher shops in Dublin city centre as “fronts” for the criminal activities.
The Cork North-Central TD said the need for the operation mirrored concerns that he had identified in April with respect to the explosion of the so-called ‘Turkish barber’ networks involved in suspected money laundering enterprises:
“There is no doubt that Ireland is now being subjected to rampant levels of criminality originating from international gangs. This is happening in plain sight and it is tearing the social fabric of our cities, towns, and villages apart on a daily basis.”
“It also reflects concerns that Governments own local party representatives have expressed about the growing sense of a lack of safety in Cork city centre; concerns that I have been raising for years.”
“Everyone can see that our communities are being poisoned by this cancer of criminality, and while fantastic successes like the recent Dublin operation are welcome, they are unfortunately all too rare.”
“I want to see vastly increased levels of resources provided to An Garda Síochána to enable it counteract these thugs. We cannot allow these gangsters and ruthless predators to become embedded here to the extent that their activities then completely transform the high-trust society that we have enjoyed for so long.”
“I want to see the hammer of the law come down fast and hard on these individuals and I don’t want to hear anymore bleeding-heart nonsense to the effect that certain groups should get a free pass or that they should be immune from intensive scrutiny simply because of their ethnic group. Crime is crime. We should root it out wherever it appears irrespective of who is committing it.”
