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Two men linked to Drogheda gang due in court on money laundering charges

The two men were arrested after gardaí searched nine properties in Drogheda as part of an investigation into drugs, firearms and financial crime aimed at disrupting the activities of the Co Louth town's two organised crime groups
The two men were arrested after gardaí searched nine properties in Drogheda as part of an investigation into drugs, firearms and financial crime aimed at disrupting the activities of the Co Louth town's two organised crime groups

Two men are due in court later this morning charged with money laundering and drugs-related offences.

The charges come as part of the garda investigation into drugs, firearms and financial crime aimed at disrupting the activities of two organised crime groups in Drogheda.

Earlier this week gardaí, including members of the Armed Response Unit, searched nine properties in Drogheda as part of Operation Stratus and two men were arrested.

The two men, both aged in their 20s, have since been charged and they are due to appear before Dundalk District Court.

More than 200 people were at one stage involved in the Drogheda feud, which led to assaults, kidnappings, petrol bombings, homes being burned out and four murders, including that of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods.

The teenager was murdered, and his body was dismembered in a house in Drogheda.

His remains were subsequently recovered in Dublin and Louth.

The gardaí set up Operation Stratus to target and dismantle the two organised crime groups involved in the feud and disrupt their supply of drugs, firearms and money.

Since the operation commenced over six years ago, the leadership of the two gangs have either died, are in jail or have fled abroad.

Several senior figures and associates have also been convicted and jailed.

These include Paul Crosby, who was jailed for ten years for facilitating the teenager’s murder, Gerard 'Rocky’ Cruise, who was jailed for seven years, while Gerard ‘Ged’ McKenna was jailed for cleaning up the house in Rathmullan Park where Keane Mulready-Woods was murdered.

One of the gang leaders, Robbie Lawlor, was shot dead in Belfast almost five years ago.

His rival gang leader Cornelius Price died in hospital in Wales in 2023.

Two other gang leaders, who are brothers, went into exile, one to Dubai, the other to Thailand.

There have been 11 other people before the courts since last October on money laundering and drugs-related charges as part of the same investigation into the feuding criminal gangs.