A TOP ex-cop has sounded the alarm on Ireland’s most dangerous crime gangs — revealing only international firepower can possibly take down the thugs.
Retired Detective Inspector Noel Browne, who spent years on the front lines in Colombia, insists global co-operation is the only way to crush the country’s biggest drug cartels.
Gardai have ramped up their fight against criminal gangs[/caption]
His warning comes as Gardai ramp up their fight against 20 ruthless gangs with links abroad.
Mr Browne gained a first-hand account of the misery caused by Colombia’s narco terrorist groups during his 41 years on the force.
Some 30 brave community leaders and human rights activists have been killed in the South American country so far this year after challenging cartels like the Clan del Golfo group.
And in 2017, Joe ‘Packie’ Moore, 55, from Ballyfermot, Dublin, was murdered by the Medellin Cartel.
At present, there are around 15 major drug cartels in Colombia — many of them working with European criminal networks that include Irish gangs such as the Kinahans and ‘The Family’.
Our images show Mr Browne at a cocaine lab in the jungle in Tolima and also with members of the Policía Nacional de Colombia.
During his time overseas, the former detective worked with fellow officers in Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Panama, Chile and Costa Rica on a wide range of murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking and cyber crime investigations.
The retired officer — who was also part of the team that investigated the murder of Veronica Guerin in June 1996 — spoke of the importance of the Garda Liaison Network in the fight against organised crime.
Since its establishment, Gardai have been posted to North America, the UAE, across Europe and Asia as part of ongoing efforts to extend the force’s international reach.
In his only interview since retiring, Mr Browne told The Irish Sun: “The cartels operating at the moment are every bit as dangerous as Pablo Escobar but they have become more astute and stay under the radar.
“The international drug trade the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau works to disrupt is fuelled by the consumers of those products across Europe, North America as well as Australia.
“The trade causes misery to people not only in Ireland but across the world from the producing countries like Colombia, but also transit countries like Costa Rica and throughout Latin America.
“The cartels are funded by this trade and use those finances to arm and equip themselves, corrupt officials and, worst of all, intimidate poor rural communities forcing them to produce and process drugs such as cocaine.
RURAL REGION UNDER GANG CONTROL
“Vast rural regions of Colombia are effectively under the control of these criminal groups.
“Communities are threatened, brave community leaders and human rights defenders are also threatened and murdered, minors are forced to join the criminal groups.
“And there is the problem of the associated environmental damage caused by these criminal groups who are also involved in illegal deforestation, illegal mining and human trafficking.
“International co-operation is so key to successful disruption of transnational criminal organisations and this is a key part of the GNDOCB’s ongoing work.”
ON THE FRONTLINES
The former investigator — who received a distinguished services medal from the Colombia National Police during his time in the region — added: “I had been involved in this international aspect of policing from as far back as 1997 when I was deployed to the Netherlands to conduct enquiries regarding the murder of Ms Guerin.
“Organised criminals use borders and differing legal systems to their advantage.
“The Garda Liaison Network has been expanded across the world.
“Host countries like Colombia see the presence of an Irish Liaison Officer permanently in their country working on the ground with them as a clear indication we are with them as they tackle the scourge of organised crime at a level far above what we experience in Europe.
“Having worked abroad in numerous countries I am certain that Garda members who operate abroad as Garda Liaison Officers, or seconded to Interpol, Europol, the United Nations or others, invariably are held in the highest regard and are a credit to their Garda organisation and also to Ireland.”
CRIME CRACKDOWN
The former officer — part of the investigation team that discovered the Kinahan cartel arms depot at the Greenogue Industrial Unit in Dublin in 2017 — also spoke to us after the GNDOCB celebrated its tenth anniversary this month.
Since March 2015, the unit has seized €627million of drugs, made 1,722 arrests, seized €33,284,931 in cash and recovered 171 firearms.
Mr Browne added: “The formation of the GNDOCB brought together a wealth of investigative skilled detectives who had specialised in specific crime fields but could now combine their skills to best effect.
“This continues to this day as we can see from the ongoing reduction in gangland murders and the reduction of threat to life probes.”
‘COUNTLESS LIVES SAVED’
Former Assistant Commissioner Michael O’Sullivan also outlined how “countless lives” had been saved by the GNDOCB during the past ten years.
Mr O’Sullivan added: “The work that has gone on over the last ten years has been phenomenal.
“High value targets are now in prison and dozens of people are alive today because of the contract killers who have been arrested and the dangerous drugs taken off our streets.
“As their work continues I have no doubt they can be even more successful over the coming years.”
