A man named as one of the key members of the Kinahan cartel has been arrested in Spain.
Johnny Morrissey was among seven people connected to the crime group, including Dubliner Daniel Kinahan, that were targeted with US sanctions in April.
The 62 year-old was arrested on Monday on the Costa del Sol on charges of laundering money for the criminal organisation. He appeared in court yesterday and was remanded in custody.
It followed an operation involving six different police forces, including the Spanish Civil Guard, Gardaí and the US DEA law enforcement agency.
Speaking today about the operation, Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary said; "The actions that have taken place over the past few days in Spain, highlight the resilience and determination of international law enforcement to combine our resources to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks.
"An Garda Síochána will continue to work closely with all our international partners, targeting transnational organised crime gangs who profit from drug trafficking and impact so negatively on our society and in particular those networks that cause the most harm to our communities here in Ireland."
