Christy Keane and man in 40s arrested after €560,000 cocaine seized in Limerick
Christy Keane, 60s, a convicted drug dealer and head of the Keane crime gang, and another man in his 40s were arrested in Limerick on 22 November 2024 after Gardaí seized €560,000 worth of suspected cocaine from a vehicle and a property in the city. Both men are detained under the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested22 Nov
5 reports - Charged22 Nov
2 reports - In court25 Nov
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports68 statements extracted from the articles
- whatTwo men were arrested (garda.ie)
- what€560,000 worth of suspected cocaine was seized (garda.ie)
- what€490,000 worth of suspected cocaine was seized from the vehicle (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- what€70,000 worth of suspected cocaine was seized from the property (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe two men are aged in their 40s and 60s (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whatTwo men were arrested after cocaine was seized in Limerick (irishmirror.ie)
- what€560,000 worth of suspected cocaine was seized during searches at a number of locations in Limerick city. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- whatChristy Keane is a convicted drug dealer and head of the Keane crime gang. (irishtimes.com)
- what€490,000 worth of suspected cocaine was seized when Gardaí stopped and searched a vehicle. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- whatSuspected cocaine with an estimated value of €70,000 was seized during a separate search under warrant of a property in the city. (irishtimes.com)
- whatGardaí stopped and searched a vehicle, seizing €490,000 of suspected cocaine. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA separate search of a property in Limerick resulted in the seizure of €70,000 of suspected cocaine. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatStephen McNamara, 43, was charged with one count of possession of cocaine for sale or supply (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe drugs were valued at €490,000 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatChristy Keane was arrested in connection with a cocaine seizure in Limerick (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAnother man in his 40s was also arrested in connection with the same drugs probe (irishmirror.ie)
- what€70,000 worth of suspected cocaine was seized during a search under warrant of a property in the city (irishmirror.ie)
- whereSearches were carried out at a number of locations in Limerick city (garda.ie)
- whereThe men are detained in a Garda station in the Limerick area (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- whereA separate search under warrant was carried out at a property in Limerick city (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe arrests and searches took place on Friday 22 November 2024 (garda.ie)
- whenGardaí stopped and searched a vehicle on Friday (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe arrests and seizures were made on Friday, 22 November 2024. (irishtimes.com)
- whenHe was arrested at 5.53pm on Friday 22 November 2024 (irishmirror.ie)
- whenKeane was detained by Gardaí on Friday, 22 November 2024 (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA second man in his 60s remains in Garda custody. (garda.ie)
- investigationHe can be detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 for up to seven days. (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí stopped and searched a vehicle (garda.ie)
- investigationA separate search under warrant was carried out at a property in the city (garda.ie)
- investigationThe seized drugs will undergo further analysis by Forensic Science Ireland (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí say investigations are ongoing (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe seizure forms part of Operation Tara (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí stopped and searched a vehicle during which €490,000 worth of suspected cocaine was seized. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA separate search under warrant of a property in the city yielded €70,000 worth of suspected cocaine. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe men are detained under drug trafficking legislation in a Garda station in the Limerick area. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGarda investigations are ongoing. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe seizure took place following searches at a number of locations in the city. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe drugs will undergo further analysis by Forensic Science Ireland. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are awaiting further directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe two men are detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeA man in his 40s arrested during the operation has been charged. (garda.ie)
- chargeThe men are detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- chargeTwo men aged in their 40s and 60s were detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 in a Garda station in the Limerick area. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeA man in his 40s has been charged in connection with the seizure of €560,000 worth of suspected cocaine in Limerick. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe is scheduled to appear before Limerick District Court on Monday, 25 November 2024. (garda.ie)
- courtThe man in his 40s is expected to appear before Limerick District Court the following day. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtJudge Patricia Harney granted bail with conditions including €500 bond, daily sign-on at Henry Street Garda Station, and no contact with Christy Keane (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe was remanded on bail to appear before Limerick District Court on 12 March 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
- otherOperation Tara is an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy launched by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris in July 2021 (irishmirror.ie)
- otherAnother man in his 40s was also being questioned by gardaí on Sunday in connection with the same drugs investigation. (irishtimes.com)
- otherIn June 2015, two masked gunmen under the orders of the Dundon McCarthy crime gang targeted Keane in a shooting on the grounds of the University of Limerick. (irishtimes.com)
- otherKeane was shot four times as he was making his way from his car to the UL Sports Arena for a gym session. (irishtimes.com)
- otherKeane underwent surgery for his injuries and was provided with round the clock Garda protection immediately afterwards. (irishtimes.com)
- otherPrice had 90 previous convictions including for arson in 2001 when he threw a petrol bomb at a property belonging to a close relative of Keane, for which he received a 12-year jail sentence. (irishtimes.com)
- otherJohn Costelloe, 41, was given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to providing transport to people allegedly involved in the attempted murder of Keane. (irishtimes.com)
- otherIn 2000, Keane was sentenced to 10 years in prison after gardaí found him carrying €240,000 worth of cannabis in a coal sack. (irishtimes.com)
- otherKeane served seven years of the sentence, spent time in Spain after his release, and later returned to Limerick. (irishtimes.com)
- otherA drug turf war feud between the Keane Collopy gang and the Dundon McCarthy and Ryan McCarthy gangs has resulted in dozens of violent attacks and several murders. (irishtimes.com)
- otherTwo men, aged in their 40s and 60s, were arrested in connection with the investigation. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe man in his 60s remains in Garda custody at a station in the Limerick area. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe man in his 60s can be held under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 for up to seven days. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe admitted to gardaí that he knew he was transporting what he believed to be cocaine (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe has ongoing drug addiction issues (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe sold an Audi for €18,000 the previous year (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe is paying €400 per month on finance for his current vehicle (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe previously attended a drug-treatment facility (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was impacted by two recent bereavements (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 26 Nov2024Crime boss Christy Keane arrested after €560,000 of suspected cocaine seized
Reports the arrest of Christy Keane and a second man in his 40s following the seizure of €560,000 worth of suspected cocaine in Limerick city, with extensive background on Keane's criminal history, the 2015 UL shooting, and the ongoing Keane-Dundon McCarthy gang feud.
suspect, Christy Keane, 60s, male, named at arrest, irish (judged from name)Christy Keanesuspect, 40s, male - 25 Nov2024Landscape gardener played 'significant role' for 'Keane' crime gang, court told
Court appearance and bail hearing for Stephen McNamara; identifies the 'man in his 40s' from the original arrest; confirms Christy Keane released without charge; details bail conditions including no contact with Keane and exclusion from Singland area.
accused, Stephen McNamara, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Stephen McNamarasuspect, Christy Keane, 63, male, named, irish (judged from name)Christy Keane - 24 Nov2024Man, 40s, charged in connection with €560,000 cocaine seizure in Limerick
The man in his 40s has been charged and is due before Limerick District Court; the man in his 60s remains in custody under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 for up to seven days. The article provides a breakdown of the seizure: €490,000 from a vehicle and €70,000 from a property.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 60s, male - 24 Nov2024Crime boss Christy Keane arrested in connection with cocaine seizure in Limerick
Provides background on Keane's 2015 UL shooting, the convictions of Larry McCarthy, Noel Price and John Costelloe for their roles in the attempted murder, Keane's 2000 cannabis conviction, and the 2003 killing of his brother Kieran Keane.
suspect, Christy Keane, 60s, male, Irish, named at arrest, irishChristy Keanesuspect, 40s, male - 23 Nov2024Two men arrested following cocaine haul in Limerick
Provides a breakdown of the seizure (€490,000 from a vehicle stop and search, €70,000 from a property search under warrant), confirms the men are detained under drug trafficking legislation in a Garda station in the Limerick area, and notes the drugs will undergo further analysis by Forensic Science Ireland.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 60s, male - 23 Nov2024Two men arrested as €560,000 worth of cocaine seized after major garda operation
Provides details on the two separate searches (vehicle stop yielding €490,000 and warrant search of a property yielding €70,000), confirms detention under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996, and identifies the operation as Operation Tara.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 60s, male - 22 Nov2024Operation Tara – Two men arrested, €560,000 cocaine seized in Limerick City, 22nd November 2024
Official Garda press release confirming the arrest and seizure, providing the breakdown of the cocaine value (€490,000 from a vehicle search, €70,000 from a property search under warrant) and noting the drugs will undergo further analysis by Forensic Science Ireland.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 60s, male - 22 Nov2024Court Appearance- Operation Tara – Two men arrested, €560,000 cocaine seized in Limerick City, 22nd November 2024
Court appearance details: man in 40s charged and due before Limerick District Court on 25 November 2024; man in 60s remains in custody under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 for up to seven days.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 60s, male