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FIVE members of one of the country’s most prolific robber gangs have been arrested during a garda surveillance operation tonight.
The gang was arrested after a robbery at a house in south Dublin and the five men remain in Garda custody.
Independent.ie has learned that they are core members of the notorious ‘Cock Wall’ robber gang who have been linked to crime waves across the country.
They were arrested after attacking a home in the Watson Road area in Dun Laoghaire shortly before 7pm tonight.
A senior source said armed detectives had placed them under surveillance and were watching their every move as they broke into the house.
“They went to all the rooms; the occupant was in the house at the time, but was not aware of what was happening.
“It shows how good they are at what they do that they can sneak onto the property without attracting attention.
“Fortunately, the gardaí had a guarded operation and once they left the premises, they were all arrested,” said a high-level source.
The men in Garda custody are believed to be in their 20s and 40s and are being held at separate Garda stations in the capital.
Three are currently being interrogated at Dun Laoghaire Garda station, while two are being held for questioning at Dundrum.
Two of those arrested are high-ranking members of the ‘Cock Wall’ gang who are suspected of leading the mob’s nationwide crime waves.
The men, both in their 40s, cannot be identified for legal reasons as they currently face serious charges in court.
The other three suspects in Garda custody are believed to be related to senior associates.
Tonight’s operation was carried out by members of the Garda anti-theft unit attached to the Garda National Office for Drugs and Organized Crime (GNDOCB).
The gang is also expected to be questioned in connection with other robberies.
A source said: “These are very important arrests for the Gardaí as part of their ongoing investigations into organized robbery gangs.
“Gangs, particularly the ‘Cock Wall’ team, have been terrorizing communities across the country.”
The ‘Cock Wall’ gang has been a primary target of the Gardaí for decades and has around 80 key associates throughout the East Coast.
The gang has been linked to robberies across the country, traveling in groups of four or five to bomb a rural town before using the country’s highway network to flee.
Detectives previously identified a new generation of thugs in their teens to 20s who now believe they are the predominant robbery team of the ‘Cock Wall’ gang.
Online editors
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