CAGED mob boss John Gilligan “will never change”, the brother of murdered journalist Veronica Guerin last night warned.
And Jimmy Guerin says the 72-year-old thug will always pose a “danger” to society.
He hopes Gilligan will get a long sentence after cops uncovered an €8million drugs lab and hidden gun at his pad in Costa Blanca, Spain.
Dubliner Gilligan — whose mob shot dead crime reporter Veronica in June 1996 — has been locked up on remand since mid-December.
Police accused his mob — which includes Macedonian gangsters — of flooding the streets with drugs, including deadly pink cocaine.
And the pint-sized thug’s arrest comes after he received a 22-month suspected sentence in September 2023 after he was caught with a gun and drugs in October 2020.
Murder victim Veronica’s brother hopes he will actually serve time if convicted of running the secret lab.
Mr Guerin told The Irish Sun: “It’s almost 30 years since Veronica’s murder and it’s clear this individual will never change.
“It’s very disappointing to see that Gilligan and his associates are still poisoning children with their drugs.
“Gilligan is into his 70s now and yet here he is continuing his involvement in the illicit drugs trade.
“I was disappointed with the last court outcome and I hope he receives an appropriate sentence if it’s proven he was centrally involved in production of drugs which can cause so much damage.
“Recent behaviour we have seen from Gilligan reinforces my belief the Gilligan gang will not change and, if released from prison, will continue their involvement in organised crime.
‘UNTOLD DAMAGE’
“Nothing has changed over the last 30 years. This gang is continuing to trade in drugs in Ireland and beyond, and causing untold damage to thousands of people.”
According to Jimmy, Gilligan is nothing but “an amoral drug dealer who will never change”.
The Independent Fingal councillor added: “Gilligan has shown nothing but contempt for our family over the last 29 years. He is someone who has shown absolutely no remorse for a young mother gunned down in broad daylight. We were never under any illusion about the type of man we were dealing with.”
The Irish Sun also spoke to a senior investigator about Gilligan’s latest arrest — made without the help of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
‘BACK WHERE HE BELONGS’
The GNDOCB weren’t involved because Gilligan is no longer regarded as a “priority target”.
But the investigator said: “It’s great to see how this parasite of a despicable little man continues to fail in his drug dealing ventures. He is back where he belongs — in prison.
“There was no need for Gardai to be involved because the Spanish police were all over him.”
