Episode 1270: Two men linked to ‘Irish Mafia’ arrested in armed raid in Colombia

The killing of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool on August 22 has left Merseyside's underworld reeling from a major crackdown on organised crime.The little girl, who was shot when her mother opened the door of their home after hearing commotion outside, will forever be remembered as the ultimate innocent victim of gangland crime.This week, Thomas Cashman was charged with her murder and a second man, Paul Russell, was brought before the courts for assisting an offender.But police have said their investigation is on-going and they are committed to finding anyone involved in the murder, while a record £200,000 reward has been put up for information.Nicola Tallant chats with Liverpool Echo Crime Reporter Jonathan Humphries, who discusses 'Operation Miller', the policing tsunami that has followed Olivia’s murder and the hundreds of criminals caught up in the searches, raids and seizures. He describes the history of Liverpool’s links to organised crime, its position as the UK’s most important city for drugs and weapons importation and the widespread grief and disbelief of its citizens for a lost child. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 Okt 202234min

A former Garda Superintendent has been jailed for six-and-a-half years after he was caught with more than €250,000 worth of cannabis.But the investigation into John ‘Spud’ Murphy began because of his suspected links to the Hutch Organised crime group and the passing of information to them.Before his arrest in Spain, Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch became aware of a European Arrest Warrant issued for him thanks to an anonymous Twitter site.And now the same social media channels are under investigation because of threats to State Witness Jonathan Dowdall and members of the Garda team working on the Regency probe.So what’s been going on behind the scenes? Nicola Tallant chats with Niall Donald about the jailing of one of Ireland’s most decorated former officers and the social media campaign against Dowdall and his family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 Okt 202229min

The trial of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch for the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel has been put back for a few weeks after dramatic developments in the Special Criminal Court.Hutch stepped into the dock hours after the court heard his neighbour and lifelong family friend Jonathan Dowdall had turned State witness against him.During his sentence hearing for the lesser charge of facilitating the Regency attack, evidence was heard how Dowdall is entering the Witness Protection Programme and has given a lengthy statement to gardai.Nicola Tallant chats with Sunday World deputy, Niall Donald, and Crime World producer, Ian Maleney, about an extraordinary day in Dublin's Special Criminal Court. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 Okt 202254min

Trainee journalists often have to find their feet in a dog-eat-dog world, where you are only as good as your last byline.And many of those who have been landed onto the crime beat have literally had to learn on their feet in the most bizarre circumstances.Sunday World features and motoring editor Daragh Keany is nowadays more at home in a top-of-the-range Mercedes or flying first class to an exotic destination - but it wasn’t always like that.Nicola Tallant chats with Daragh, who recalls his experiences as a young wet-behind-the-years crime reporter and about the day he came face to face with a killer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30 Sep 202245min

The Kinahan organisation has been financially pulverised after a raid on properties connected to money launderer Johnny Morrissey uncovered what police believe to be the mob’s internal accounts, including pay roll, lists of assets and names of debtors and creditors.A number of charities based around Marbella are now suspected of being part of the Kinahan money laundering machine, along with a string of nightclubs, bars and restaurants.The Cartel is crumbling and a recent arrest of enforcer Gerard Mackin in Spain has firmly placed the focus back on the Costa Del Crime, where socialites, D-list celebrities, chefs and private club owners are all trying to distance themselves from the dirty money.Nicola Tallant chats with Sunday World Deputy Editor Niall Donald about Mackin’s arrest for alleged money laundering offences, his links to the Kinahan mob and the wider financial probe which is set to be the final nail in the coffin for the Kinahan family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30 Sep 202232min

A wider investigation into how the State believe Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch directed a criminal gang and corrupted a retired police officer is on-going outside the Regency Hotel trial, which is due to get underway next week.Hutch was arrested at Wheatfield Prison on Wednesday and quizzed about his links to the former Garda officer, along with his involvement in running a criminal network suspected of being responsible for a flood of drugs and weapons.Meanwhile, a senior member of the Kinahan organisation has been brought back to the Special Criminal Court on further drugs and firearms charges. Douglas Glynn is already serving a sentence in relation to an attempt on the life of James ‘Mago’ Gately - but now may be facing a further trial.Nicola Tallant talks with Sunday World colleague Niall Donald about the dramatic developments as Ireland’s crackdown on organised crime and feuding gangs continues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

29 Sep 202221min

Former Sinn Fein Councillor Jonathan Dowdall and his father Patrick have pleaded guilty today to their roles in the Regency Hotel shooting of David Byrne.The pleas come days before Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch goes on trial for murder in the Special Criminal Court in a trial expected to last a number of months.So who is Jonathan Dowdall and how did he end up in the dock for one of the most notorious crimes in gangland history?Today, in the first of our Crime World specials about the Regency Hotel trials, I'm talking with Sunday World Deputy Editor Niall Donald about the sensational developments today at the Special Criminal Court. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 Sep 202222min

Murder victim Tony Dempsey’s end is as grim as a society could ever imagine. For 10 days his body lay decomposing in a Dublin flat while drug users came and went and neighbours complained about the smell.Gardai believe the 28-year-old was killed by someone he knew and was left to rot in a city centre drug den where addicts came for their fix and to shoot up.So who was Tony Dempsey and how did he come to such a tragic end, discarded like a bag of rubbish and covered by blankets as drug users partied nearby?Nicola Tallant talks with Irish Independent Crime Correspondent Ken Foy, who says that Dempsey was a classic example of a young man who fell through the cracks of society.He tells me of his chaotic background, the years in foster homes and his gruesome end in a flat described as a ‘place of absolute horror.’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

27 Sep 202220min