Group linked to Rathkeale Rovers crime gang moved on from Wicklow seafront area

By Darragh McCann, The Wicklow People

Members of a group with strong links to the international crime organisation, the Rathkeale Rovers, have been removed from Bray seafront, following an operation by gardaí on Tuesday, June 23.

It is understood the group arrived on the seafront near the boathouse next to Bray Head on Saturday, June 20.

A source said they arrived and set up, with gardaí keeping a close eye on them.

“They were under close monitoring over the weekend, but there were no reports from the public of any criminality,” the source said.

The whereabouts of the group are now unknown, with one source saying: “They moved on, and we expect them to pop up somewhere else in Wicklow, probably Brittas Bay or even west Wicklow. You actually cannot guess where they will go.”

Back in 2005, more than 30 caravans linked to the group arrived at a former pitch and putt course in Brittas Bay.

The group regularly visit the county each year, with gardaí receiving very few complaints from the general public or local businesses.

“I remember them coming the last time,” the source said, adding they also were moved on at that time.

Rathkeale Rovers, who have made international headlines over the years due to alleged organised criminal activity, hail from Rathkeale, Co Limerick.

The organisation’s origins have been linked to offshoot tarmac scam operations in Ireland and the United Kingdom during the early 1990s.

Europol established Operation Oakleaf in 2010 with An Garda Síochána to gather intelligence on the international crime syndicate.

The operation resulted in 50 arrests across eight countries for offences including money laundering, drug trafficking and organised robberies. The group later came to the attention of Europol and several English police forces.

In 2017, members were jailed for their involvement in the theft of rhino horns from a London museum.

The gang broke into Cambridge University’s Fitzwilliam Museum while it was closed, stealing antique rhino horns valued at between £15m and £40m.

It has been reported that members of the group are wanted by customs, wildlife protection and organised crime agencies across the world, with the Criminal Assets Bureau also targeting the proceeds of crime linked to individuals in Limerick and Cork.