Two men charged over west Dublin organised crime network 'Ghost'

Two men have appeared in court in Dublin charged with drugs, money laundering and organised crime offences linked to a west Dublin criminal group.

Paul Kelly, 55, of Cloverhill Drive in Ballyfermot, and 64-year-old Noel Smith of Summit Lodge, Kilanerin, Gorey, Co Wexford, were arrested at their homes last night and each face eight offences.

The charges include facilitating the activities of a criminal gang, possession of cocaine, possession of the drug with intent to supply, and laundering €22,220 between August and September 2024.

Both men made no reply when charged at Clondalkin Garda Station.

The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau said the arrests were part of an investigation into the criminal communications network known as Ghost.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed that both men be tried on indictment before the Special Criminal Court.

The case matters because it is a fresh court step in a long-running investigation into how criminal communications systems are used by organised crime groups.

Gardaí say Ghost was established to help dangerous networks carry out serious and organised crime on a global scale.

Investigators say the network was used for a range of offences, including large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, extreme violence and other serious organised crime.

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