Irish Police Achieve Historic Milestone in Dublin's Gangland War
In a landmark development for law enforcement in Ireland, the Gardai have announced a remarkable achievement in their ongoing battle against organised crime in Dublin. For the first time in at least three decades, the year 2025 saw a total of zero gangland gun murders recorded, signalling a significant turning point in a bitter and bloody feud that has plagued the city.
Unprecedented Success in Dismantling Criminal Networks
This historic statistic comes a decade after the infamous Regency Hotel shooting, an event that dramatically altered Ireland's criminal landscape. On 5 February 2016, a hit squad disguised as a police SWAT team stormed a boxing weigh-in at the hotel near Dublin Airport, using AK-47-style assault rifles in a brazen attack that left one man dead and several injured. The incident, attributed to the Hutch gang targeting rival leader Daniel Kinahan, intensified a feud that claimed at least 18 lives and shocked the nation with its brutality.
In response, the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, then only a year old, launched a sustained and relentless campaign. According to Garda Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis, the Regency Hotel shooting was not merely an attack on a sporting event but "an attack on our state and an affront to all right-minded and peaceful citizens." The police backlash was swift and comprehensive, with Dubliners becoming accustomed to heavily-armed checkpoints in the inner city as politicians pledged all necessary resources.
Key Outcomes and Ongoing Challenges
The results of this intensified effort are now evident. Ninety-eight members of the notorious Hutch and Kinahan organised crime groups have been imprisoned, and fifty-one attempted hits have been foiled. At a recent press conference in Dublin, Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland highlighted that the Kinahan cartel "no longer exists as it did in 2016," although the Hutch group remains active and under investigation. Boland emphasised that the force will not become complacent, warning that continued demand for illegal drugs could fuel a potential resurgence in gang violence. "We don't live in Nirvana," he cautioned.
Despite this progress, some high-profile cases have ended without convictions. Gerry "The Monk" Hutch, the alleged leader of the Hutch gang, was acquitted of murder charges related to the Regency Hotel shooting in a well-publicised trial in April 2023. However, Boland stated that he does not view this as a policing failure or a regret, noting pragmatically, "We're not emotional about these things. There are no regrets."
This achievement marks a pivotal moment in Ireland's fight against organised crime, demonstrating the effectiveness of targeted police strategies in reducing gangland violence and restoring a sense of security to Dublin's communities.
