Criminal Assets Bureau conducts raids targeting suspected drug trafficker in Kerry
More than 90 personnel were involved in a series of searches by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) in Co Kerry on Tuesday, resulting in the seizure of more than €200,000.
The searches targeted the assets of an individual suspected of involvement in drug trafficking.
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Cab officers, gardaí from the Kerry division, the Garda Armed Support Unit and the Customs Dog Unit conducted searches at residences and businesses across the county.
During the operation, Cab officers seized more than €200,000 in cash, electronic devices and 'documents of evidential value', a Garda press release said.
'This investigation remains ongoing,' it said.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Thursday briefing: What sparked days of racially charged violence in Northern Ireland
Good morning. Over the past three nights, Ballymena, Northern Ireland, has been rocked by riots. At least 17 police officers have been injured, while homes, businesses and vehicles have also been damaged. The unrest erupted after a vigil on Monday for a teenage girl allegedly sexually assaulted by two 14-year-old boys. The boys had appeared in court earlier that day and were charged with attempted rape, where a Romanian interpreter read them the charges. Police said the unrest escalated into racially motivated violence, with mobs targeting foreign residents in the County Antrim town. They broke windows and tried to set fire to curtains, leaving families terrified in their homes. On Wednesday, a fire broke out at a leisure centre during a third night of disorder. Smaller protests took place on Tuesday night in Lisburn, Coleraine, Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus and Belfast. In one video shared online, a woman tells the rioters: 'Be careful, lads.' A man then informs her there were people living in one of the houses being attacked. She replied: 'Aye, but are they local? If they're local, they need out. If they're not local, let them fucking stay there.' Liam Kelly, the chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, which represents officers, said police prevented 'a pogrom with consequences too painful to contemplate'. For today's newsletter, I spoke to Rory Carroll, the Guardian's Ireland correspondent who was on the ground in Ballymena, about what we know so far about the violence, long simmering tensions around immigration and what the area is bracing for next. That's after the headlines. UK politics | Rachel Reeves has pledged to ensure 'working people are better off' and invest billions into energy, housing, transport and infrastructure after the government's spending review announcement. US news | Los Angeles police made more than 300 arrests as protesters defied an overnight curfew imposed after Donald Trump's crackdown against demonstrations. Israel-Gaza war | Israeli forces killed at least 60 Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday, most of them as they were seeking food from a US-Israeli distribution scheme, according to local health authorities. Austria | A 21-year-old former student who shot dead 10 people including pupils and a teacher at his former school in Austria before killing himself had planned to detonate a homemade explosive there, police have said. Music | Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys musician, songwriter and producer who created some of pop's most beautiful and groundbreaking songs, has died aged 82. Before the Good Friday agreement in 1998, there was very little immigration to Northern Ireland, Rory Carroll tells me. The Troubles and the wider history of the area meant it wasn't really a destination for migrants, but after the peace process, immigration crept upwards – slowly at first and from a very low base. About 293,000 long-term international migrants are estimated to have arrived in Northern Ireland between the years 2001 and 2023, according to Northern Ireland assembly research published this year. The latest census in 2021 shows that about 3.4% of Northern Ireland's population are from a minority ethnic background – compared with 18.3% in England and Wales, and 12.9% in Scotland – making it the least diverse region in the UK. 'People here feel it happened very quickly,' Rory says. 'Some areas have seen a significant number of arrivals, including parts of Belfast, and also here in Ballymena, which is largely a working-class, loyalist area. There are a cluster of streets where a lot of migrants have ended up, particularly from eastern Europe. There has been resentment.' Rory spent much of yesterday speaking to residents, who told him they were 'overwhelmed', or 'being overrun'. While there is some acknowledgment that 'many of the migrants bring skills and do good things in terms of opening businesses, and might be their friends, they say others are causing lots of problems, and that they feel that politicians, public representatives, and the police are not heeding their complaints'. Rory says that the grievances are twofold: one, that some migrants are 'freeloading' off taxpayer-funded services, and two, that they're involved in crime. The perception is that these problems are being ignored by the authorities. The similarities to last year's anti-immigrant riots The clashes in Ballymena feel similar to last summer's anti-immigrant riots that spread across England and parts of Northern Ireland. Rory covered the rioting in Belfast last summer, in the loyalist area of Sandy Row. Foreign-owned businesses there were targeted for attacks, looting and intimidation. 'It was a similar story that you hear in Ballymena,' he says. 'Local, long-term residents not exclusively but largely, white, loyalist, Protestant working class feel that they had an influx of foreigners, many of them non-white, and that no one consulted them about it and that the identity of their local area has been changed.' There was a crucial difference this time, Rory adds, as the latest riots in Ballymena were in response to a specific local alleged crime: two 14-year-old boys, charged with attempted rape. 'People are extrapolating from that and saying it's just the tip of the iceberg,' he says. In Ballymena, many talked about their communities being left behind, similar to the rhetoric we hear around England's 'red wall' seats – and while they've had industrial decline and some economic hardship, 'the statistics tell a more complex story' when it comes to Northern Ireland, Rory says. 'Northern Ireland gets a lot of subsidies from the rest of the UK and has lower housing costs and lower cost of living. The sense of alienation and grievance and the perception of being forgotten and left behind is very real, but in terms of poverty and extreme poverty, those rates are actually worse in northern England than the average similar equivalent rates here in Northern Ireland.' What are people saying on the ground? The situation in Ballymena is grim. Immigrant families who live in the cluster of streets that were attacked are 'extremely fearful', Rory says, while others have left. 'There are houses that are boarded up, windows have been smashed in, and several have been burned. I spoke to a Bulgarian-Polish family and they're in the midst of packing up, about to leave because they feel unsafe. Some want to return to Bulgaria after 15 years here,' he said. Other immigrant families are trying a different tactic. 'One family are putting up these printed stickers with notices that say 'Filipinos live here' along with the British flag,' Rory adds. 'They're trying to specify their identity, because they feel Romanians and other nationalities are the focus of anger and protests.' Some of the white local residents he spoke to are, to Rory's surprise, giving support to the riots. 'They all say it's a shame that it's come to this, violence isn't good, but that there's no other way for outsiders, the government authorities, the likes of ourselves, the Guardian, to pay attention to them. They feel that they've been ignored for so many years and so they feel that the riot was unfortunate, but necessary,' he said. Rory quotes 32-year-old Danielle O'Neill, 32, who told him: 'The riots have a valid point; we are being overpopulated … It sounds like I'm racist but I'm not. It's like an invasion. I don't feel safe walking the streets any more. Just yesterday one of them was following me and eyeing me up.' She went on to tell Rory: 'If they can terrorise our kids, we can terrorise the town.' Who is driving the backlash? The anger isn't just bubbling among one community. 'In this case, this is bringing Catholics and Protestants together in combined rioting against the foreigners,' Rory adds. He had people, who are Protestant loyalists, out at the riots last night tell him that they saw 'lots of Catholics from the other part of town' who were there with them. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'They welcomed them. They say it's brilliant that now they have Catholics and Protestants united in a common front against Johnny Foreigner. And that fits with last August, at Belfast city hall, at an anti-immigrant march, where you had loyalists with British flags marching alongside Dublin anti-migrant activists who had the Irish tricolour. They were marching side by side. You don't often see that in Northern Ireland.' What comes next is unclear. Police made several arrests on Tuesday night, which could deter further violence, but social media could continue fuelling things, Rory says. 'Some people are coming in from other parts of Antrim in solidarity with the local rioters. It's unclear whether tonight Ballymena may or may not kick off again. But then it's very possible that trouble could spread to other parts of Northern Ireland.' After Wael al-Dahdouh's family were killed by Israeli airstrikes in 2023 and 2024, he swiftly returned to his work reporting from Gaza. The Palestinian journalist tells Kaamil Ahmed: 'I want to see the journalists' colleagues from all over the world using their conscience, morals and international law to do what they can for their colleagues and brothers in the Gaza Strip.' Sundus Abdi, newsletters team Once the largest women's prison in western Europe, Holloway closed in 2016. Amelia Gentleman talks to former inmates who have participated in a film about the ways in which the system failed them. Alex Needham, acting head of newsletters Is it time to scrap GSCEs? Sally Weale examines this question and discovers how these high-stakes exams are creating excessive anxiety for youngsters and 'failing the fairness test'. Sundus He changed the face of pop with songs that were gorgeously melancholic, even when they were supposed to be about surfing. Alexis Petridis pays tribute to Brian Wilson, leader of the Beach Boys. Alex In another best culture of 2025 list, our critics name Nickel Boys, Good One and Ocean with David Attenborough some of the top films of the year so far. Sundus Football | Fifa will hold a consultation about expanding the Club World Cup to 48 teams in 2029, if the upcoming summer edition is successful. Winners are set to receive up to £93.2m for participation and prize money. Cricket | Kagiso Rabada took five for 51 as South Africa bowled out Australia for 212 at Lord's but then struggled to 43 for four on day one of the World Test Championship final at Lord's. Football | Thomas Tuchel has told Jude Bellingham to concentrate on intimidating the opposition rather than his England teammates as he opened up on what it was like to manage one of the game's 'special' talents. The England head coach talked about Bellingham's 'edge', which can make him erupt during matches in a way that 'can be a bit repulsive'. Tuchel admitted his mother sometimes had 'mixed emotions' when watching Bellingham play. 'Reeves gambles on 'renewing Britain' to win trust of voters' says the Guardian while the Times has 'Chancellor turns on the tax and spend taps'. 'Brace for tax pain to pay for Rachel's 'fantasy' spending' – no surprises to find that's the Express which the Mail gives some competition with 'A reckless splurge we (and our children) will be paying off for years'. The Telegraph says 'Reeves hits police and defence to fund NHS' and the i paper predicts 'Tax rises now inevitable to pay for Reeves' £2trn spending'. The Financial Times is remarkably brief in headlining it: 'Reeves launches £113bn 'renewal' push'. The Mirror thinks Michelle Mone could help: 'Pay back our £122m for 'faulty' PPE'. Lastly for today the Metro: 'The spend of austerity'. NHS, houses, nuclear submarines: Labour sets out its spending plans Economics editor Heather Stewart explores the winners and losers of the government's spending review A bit of good news to remind you that the world's not all bad Elizabeth McCafferty was at a death cafe in London when she was asked the profound question: 'Are you afraid of dying, are you afraid of not living?' She soon realised that her answer to this question was the latter and by confronting death, she found a way to live with more purpose, clarity and patience. After meeting people who were ill, parents who had lost children and carers of the dying, McCafferty found that many of her questions about death were answered, but also accepted that not all of them could be. She writes of her newfound zest for life: 'In truth, I feel more alive than ever for doing so.' Sign up here for a weekly roundup of The Upside, sent to you every Sunday And finally, the Guardian's puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword Wordiply
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Idiotic way cafe worker was caught after allegedly trying to import drugs
A cafe worker is accused of attempting to import more than $600,000 worth of ketamine after allegedly having it mailed to his old workplace. A manager at Al Dente in Martin Place, Sydney 's CBD, opened a parcel that had been delivered to the business on Tuesday. The packages allegedly contained 4kg of ketamine concealed in four resealable bags inside card game boxes. Following inquiries, police moved in on a Bondi address and arrested 34-year-old, Italian national Giacomo Granzotto. The chef was due to fly out of the country on June 23. Granzotto was taken to Day Street Police Station where he was charged with possessing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. He was denied bail to appear before the Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday. Granzotto had worked at Al Dente from December last year until March 2025. The Martin Place pasta bar is a favourite for workers in the nearby banks and state parliament. None of the business' employees were charged, and Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting the café manager or any other work was involved in the incident. The cafe is in the same building as premier Chris Minns' office.
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Renovation star-turned-prostitute Suzi Taylor emerges for the first time since she was granted bail while facing drug-trafficking charges
The Block contestant-turned-prostitute Suzi Taylor has made a surprise return to social media after she was granted bail while facing drug-trafficking charges. The 53-year-old took to Instagram to share a photo of herself posing for a selfie with her 'best friend' and 'saviour' that has helped her through her darkest times. 'I have had my best friend walk beside me thru every storm never leaving my side,' she captioned the post alongside her pet dog. 'My brave little companion has shown more courage loyalty & love than I could ever imagine.' Suzi looked happy and relaxed following a beachside stroll, posing alongside her beloved dog on the sand. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Suzi recently faced a Brisbane court over a bizarre 'honey trap' kidnapping, the details of which had the whole television industry aghast. The former reality star and her co-accused Ali Ebrahimi were eventually cleared on all charges, including extortion, deprivation of liberty, fraud and assault, and we do not suggest either of them committed a crime. But the accusations were alarming, to say the least, drawing attention to the fact Suzi, just five years after her sudden rise to fame, was clearly a troubled woman earning a living as a prostitute. That was 2020. Now it's 2025 and she continues to face legal troubles. In March, she pleaded guilty to charges of trespassing, stealing and common assault but escaped jail and only had to pay a fine. She had forced entry into a home the previous October demanding property from someone who was no longer living there. She pushed a woman then fled on an e-scooter with a shopping bag full of stolen goods. At the time, Suzi had just been released from prison where she'd served 50 days for evading police. The 53-year-old took to Instagram to share a photo of herself posing for a selfie with her 'best friend' and 'saviour' that has helped her through her darkest times She is currently on bail facing drug-trafficking charges and only recently had another conviction for meth possession added to her rap sheet. The last time Suzi had lucidly opened up about her personal life was in her final social media post for 2024 in which she revealed she was estranged from her three children, aged in their teens and twenties. She said her downfall had forced her to redefine what family is, and expressed hope for a more positive 2025. Fate had different plans for her. Taking to Instagram at the time, the former Block star revealed she is still estranged from her three children Bella, 20, Zac, 18, and Alex, 16, following 'years' of legal woes. Posting a selfie to her followers, Taylor shared the past few years, which have seen her mired in legal woes, had taught her a 'heartbreaking lesson'. 'The past few years have been filled with heartbreak. Losing loved ones, the absence of my children in my life,' she began the expansive post. She claimed family members had cut ties with her due to exaggerated media reports without 'ever seeking to understand the truth'. 'This experience has been a heartbreaking lesson in the meaning of family and unconditional love,' she wrote. The candid post continued with Taylor admitting the situation had forced her to redefine what family is. 'Even in the midst of such profound loss and isolation, I have found resilience. I have learned that family isn't always defined by blood; it can be the unexpected souls who step in during our darkest moments,' Taylor said. Finishing the expansive post, Taylor said she was hopeful for a more positive 2025. 'As we enter 2025, I carry with me the lessons of the past and the hope for brighter days ahead,' she said. 'Here's to healing, new connections, and redefining what family means. May this year bring us all the strength to embrace the love that truly matters. #newbeginnings'
