06/06/2019

Two Gardaí Officers Secure International Honour

Two Gardaí officers have been honoured by Spanish police for their work helping tackle organised crime in Spain.

Detective Superintendent Seamus Boland of the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) within Special Crime Operations and a Garda Liaison Officer visited Mallorca to receive the honour by the Guardia Civil.

They secured the 'Merit Order Cross of the Guardia Civil' during a ceremony at the headquarters of the Guardia Civil.

This recognises the officers' work investigating organised crime with an Irish connection. Their assistance helped convict 35 year-old James Quinn in Mallorca in connection with the murder of Gary Hutch and illegal weapons possession in 2018.

Since the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) was established in March 2015, it has been involved in the seizure of almost 100 weapons including 11 machine-guns; seven assault rifles; eight shotguns; 55 handguns, five rifles, along with 11 stun-guns. In excess of 3,000 rounds of ammunition have been seized by GNDOCB also.

Investigations relating to organised crime undertaken by Special Crime Operations (SCO) through GNDOCB since March 2015 have also resulted in the seizure of cash to the extent of almost €8.5 million and the seizure of controlled substances with a street value of €155 million.

(CM/JG)

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