OVER 500 PEOPLE have been warned by gardaí that their lives are in danger over the last number of years.

Many of those warned are involved in the drug trade, a report given to Dublin City Council’s Joint Policing Committee says.

Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy, who handles policing for the Dublin region, said that the number was an “amalgamation” of years worth of warnings.

In total, 10 of the most serious threats have been made against people in the north inner city – where many of the killings in the Hutch-Kinahan feud have taken place.

Overall, 522 warnings have been given to people over the last number of years.

10 are critical, 171 substantial, 51 classed as severe, 136 moderate, 110 are low and 43 are being reviewed.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Leahy said that the numbers were used to prioritise deployment of Garda resources. He said that “not all” of the warnings are feud related. He added that the Hutch and Kinahan feud was unlikely to conclude “any time soon”, given the former proximity of both gangs.

“Quite a few are involved with the different gangs, but generally speaking, they’re a feature of the drug trade.”

He said that the categorisation of threats allowed gardaí decide the level of protection afforded to potential targets.

He said that special operations took place following the Regency Hotel shooting, leading to more than 50 murders being prevented.