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The famous Irish criminal John Gilligan has been arrested in Spain following an international investigation for drug trafficking.
The crime boss was one of six people arrested during the raid on a residence in Alicante on Friday following an operation by Spanish, Irish and British authorities.
The police seized four kilograms of cannabis, 15,000 pills, cash, documents and mobile phones, all of which are said to be related to drug trafficking.
John Gilligan was taken away handcuffed. Pic: National Police
Gilligan was one of six people arrested
A Colt Python revolver was also discovered buried in the garden, and it is believed to be of the same make and model that was used to assassinate journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996.
Spanish police say they are now investigating with their Irish counterparts whether this pistol is the actual murder weapon.
Images from Friday’s raid were posted on Twitter by police and show Gilligan, 68, being taken away in handcuffs.
It also shows officers digging up the revolver outside.
In a statement, the National Police said that the people arrested were headed by a “well-known Irish criminal” and were also part of “a violent group of drug and arms traffickers.”
The force added that the group had specialized in “shipping illegal merchandise from Spain to the UK and Ireland through packages “.
Journalist Veronica Guerin was assassinated in 1996
According to the Spanish authorities, the investigation began last year after the settlement of a gang led by “a known Irish criminal” in Alicante.
They said on Friday that this investigation had resulted in “the total dismantling of the criminal organization.”
Police are investigating whether the revolver is the one used to murder Veronica Guerin. Pic: National Police
Meanwhile, Guerin’s brother Jimmy said he was “shocked” by the discovery of the revolver, but was skeptical about the link to his sister’s death.
He said: “I think it’s speculative, but I don’t think the Spanish authorities are irresponsible. I’m just skeptical.
“I was informed of the events before they were made public and it was a surprise.
“But I would be skeptical if a gun that was used on the Naas road turned up in a garden in Spain. Why would you risk taking it out of the country?”
During the raid, cannabis, pills, cell phones, cash and weapons were seized. Pic: National Police
Gilligan, who was sentenced to 28 years in prison for drug trafficking in 2001, was acquitted of the journalist’s murder that same year after a 43-day trial in Special Criminal Court.
He was released from prison in 2013.
Judge Diarmuid O’Donovan said at the time of the trial that there were “grave suspicions” about Guerin’s role in Guerin’s death, but said insufficient evidence had been presented to secure a conviction.
