Entertainment industry businesswoman arrested over alleged The Family gang links as she's suspected of laundering cash
A BUSINESSWOMAN has been arrested by Gardai over her alleged links to The Family gang.
The woman - who works in the entertainment industry - was lifted by detectives from Kilmainham
She's suspected of laundering cash for the transnational
She was later released without charge and a file will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Gardai are also probing if she classed two senior members of the gang who were held out to be working for her
so any cash they received from
could be classed as legitimate.
The woman is just one of dozens of people Gardai believe were used by the gang to move cash from drug trafficking.
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They are classified as 'enablers' and 'facilitators' by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
One source said: 'The Family gang deliberately targets people who are under the radar and often vulnerable.
'This woman has no links to organised crime but here she is being caught up in an investigation into a well organised crime gang.
'There is a concern that she was being used to give the impression that two of her employees were receiving legitimate payments from her.
Most read in The Irish Sun
'But the reality is these two individuals had no connection to her business and were simply using her.'
This latest arrest targeting those suspected of facilitating The Family's criminal network comes after the mob was targeted by Gardai and Spanish police in March.
'SIMPLY USING HER'
During that operation, the six who were arrested in Ireland are suspected of arranging nine cocaine shipments into Ireland.
The gang were lifted as part of a global probe into the 'Ghost' messaging platform. Arrests were made in Dublin, Kilkenny and Wexford.
Since the GNDOCB went on the offensive against The Family, they have seized over €50m worth of drugs, €7m in cash, charged 'top tier' targets and seized assets such as luxury cars.
Gardai believe they were laundering €100m in drug cash every year.
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A businesswoman has been arrested by Gardai over her alleged links to The Family gang
Credit: Garrett White - The Sun
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