Latest news with #OrganisedCrime
The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
Cocaine dealer identified by distinctive tattoo jailed for 13 years
A major drug dealer has been jailed for 13 years after police identified him by a tattoo on his foot which said 'ouch!'. Northumbria Police said Dean Matthews, 46, of Lawrence Avenue, South Shields, South Tyneside, communicated via an encrypted mobile phone to co-ordinate Class A drug deals across the North East of England. Their investigations found that he had a major role in supplying cocaine in the South Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham areas between March and May 2020. The force said officers also linked Matthews to the offences by a distinctive tattoo of the word 'ouch!' on his foot which he sent a picture of via messages on the encrypted device. Northumbria Police said he was jailed last week for 13 years after 22kg of drugs valued at £803,000 were recovered. After the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Marc Michael of Northumbria Police said: 'This is yet another superb outcome for our communities. 'Matthews was a prominent member of an organised criminal network, and I am pleased that the tireless work of our officers has resulted in a significant period of imprisonment for him. 'We have zero tolerance for those involved in organised crime and the supply of cocaine in our force area.'
BBC News
13-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Trust in police in Peterborough area improves thanks to project
Trust in police in a city centre community has risen as a result of a project aimed at fighting organised crime, a council has City Council said the Alliance project centred on Lincoln Road in Millfield had led to increased confidence in policing and a "700% increase in community intelligence reporting".The project was a collaboration between the council and Cambridgeshire Police, with the goals of disrupting criminal groups and maintaining safe was part of the Home Office's Clear, Hold and Build strategy, which was rolled out to police forces across England in 2023. Police said Lincoln Road was chosen for the project based on data that suggested there was a "concentration of organised crime in that area", the Local Democracy Reporting Service council says 700,000 illegal cigarettes have been seized in the area, as well as 20,000 vapes and £115,000 in drug needle bins were also in the report by the council to a scrutiny committee on Thursday, Alliance struggled to make inroads with local groups. 'Limited interest' There was "limited capacity and interest within community groups to engage with Alliance," the council said, making it "challenging to gain more widespread community involvement".The Home Office said that, nationally, it found "no evidence" the initiative "improved community perceptions" of policing, despite having a "positive impact" on also conceded that not offering funding alongside the Clear, Hold and Build framework was a "key barrier". Police said the agencies involved in Alliance would continue to look for funding for the project in Millfield, but would not immediately implement it elsewhere in the city as it was an "intense project about longevity and sustainability".Insp Sam Tucker, from Cambridgeshire Police, said: "We can definitely use some of the concepts in there but to use this initiative in its entirety is unlikely."Peterborough City Council have also been trying to create a cafe culture along Lincoln Road through upgrades including widening the pavements, introducing new pedestrian crossings and adding planters and benches. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BreakingNews.ie
12-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Man (30s) arrested and €2.2 million worth of drugs seized in Co Laois and Dublin
A man was arrested and around €2.2 million of controlled drugs were seized during an operation on Friday evening. Officers attached to the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, with assistance from the Clondalkin Drugs Unit, intercepted a vehicle on the M7 motorway in Co Laois. Advertisement Around €100,000 worth of suspected cocaine was discovered and seized by gardaí. A man in his 30s was arrested at the scene and is currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at a Garda station in the Dublin Metropolitan Region. A follow-up search was conducted at a residence in West Dublin, which resulted in a further seizure of an estimated €160,000 of cannabis, €1.2 million of ketamine, €530,000 of cocaine and €210,000 of diamorphine. A quantity of cash and a number of other items were also seized by gardaí. The seized drugs, with a total estimated street value of €2.2 million, have been forwarded to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis, and investigations are ongoing, a garda statement said.
The Citizen
09-07-2025
- The Citizen
Hawks arrest two more in Charl Cilliers or selling expired food
Hawks arrest two more in Charl Cilliers or selling expired food CHARL CILLIERS – Mark Lombard (29) and Sonnet Lombard (46) were arrested on July 1 by the Hawks' Secunda-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation team. The arrests were carried out with the assistance of the Tactical Response Team, Secunda K9 Unit, Charl Cilliers Police and the Secunda Local Criminal Record Centre. The duo joined their family member, Pieter Grobler (41), who was arrested on February 5 for allegedly repackaging and selling expired and rotten food to members of the public. The trio reportedly operated from a farm near Charl Cilliers. Grobler was released on R8 000 bail, while the Lombards were released following a brief appearance in the Secunda Magistrate's Court on July 1. ALSO CHECK: eMbalenhle Chris Hani section RDP housing project turns into a nightmare for residents The Lombards are accused of conspiring with Grobler to commit fraud and money laundering. All three are expected to appear in court together on August 1. During Grobler's arrest in February, several items were seized at the scene, including a truck, two light delivery vehicles, seven refrigerators and other goods, which are now part of an ongoing investigation. Brigadier Danie Hall, the Acting Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in Mpumalanga, praised the investigative and support teams for their efforts in apprehending the additional suspects. 'We, as the Hawks, will do our best to protect the community from falling prey to this inhumane act,' said Brigadier Hall. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Irish Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Seized criminal assets to be disposed of more quickly under new measures
Criminals will face seeing their seized assets being sold more quickly as part of a package of reforms being brought to Cabinet today. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan will bring a review of the Proceeds of Crime Act, which was passed at the same time as the legislation which set up the Criminal Assets Bureau in 1996, to Cabinet. The legislation governing the treatment of the proceeds of crime is periodically reviewed, and under amendments to be brought following the review, CAB will be given new powers which aim to strengthen its operations and its ability to target the proceeds of crime. Under the Bill, assets that are the proceeds of crime can be disposed of after two years instead of five, while a receiver can also be put in immediately after they are determined to be such assets so people cannot continue to benefit from them prior to the State selling them off. READ MORE Organised crime in Ireland is estimated to be worth about €1.7 billion annually. Minister for Housing James Browne is to bring forward new planning design standards for apartments , which were reported on over the weekend. The Government believes they will result in an average reduction of €50,000 per apartment unit. They will allow for more one-bedroom and studio apartments, and reduce some apartment sizes, while changing rules around the number of apartments in a scheme that have to exceed minimum sizes by 10 per cent. Other matters such as loosening restrictions on dual aspect, governing natural light, will also be contained. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe will bring a Bill legislating for a statutory 'right to be forgotten' for cancer survivors when it comes to buying a home or insurance products. The legislation will adapt a Bill brought forward in this area by Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin South Central Catherine Ardagh. The new legislation will focus on mortgage -protection insurance. Minister for Climate Darragh O'Brien will bring forward amendments on air pollution to support enforcement personnel monitoring air quality. He will also ask the Cabinet to note the outcomes of the 29th COP conference in Baku. Meanwhile, Minister for Communications Patrick O'Donovan will update the cabinet on the National Broadband Plan, telling Ministers that the project is on track to be delivered ahead of time and within its budget. Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will bring amendments to the health Act including new requirements for the Health Service Executive board and chief executive regarding budgetary management, and requiring that proposals for corrective action be put in place where expenditure levels are exceeded. The annual report of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission will be brought to Cabinet by Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke , along with a report on Irish competitiveness and the Enterprise Ireland report for 2024.
