GARDAÍ INVESTIGATING THE discovery of human body parts in Coolock are probing a possible link with the disappearance of a 17-year-old boy. 

Detectives fear the remains are those of a boy from the Louth area who has been reported missing. One line of inquiry is that he may have been killed, dismembered and his body parts dumped in an area of north Dublin which has links to serious organised crime. 

TheJournal.ie understands that detectives are exploring a theory that the 17-year-old boy had got caught up in serious organised crime and was killed by a rival gang. 

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses since the grisly discovery at Moatview Gardens and Moatview Drive in Coolock, Co Dublin on Monday night. Officers are probing the location of where the limbs were discovered to see if they were randomly dumped or if there was a meaning or message from the killers behind it.

Gardaí will only be able to verify the identity of the victim when they receive DNA results from Forensic Science Ireland.

Gardaí were last night conducting a case conference with a press briefing expected today, if results from FSI have returned. 

Officers attached to detective units in both Dublin and Louth are sharing information regarding ongoing feuds in their localities.

There are now concerns that those taking part in gang feuds in Louth are now mixing with north Dublin criminals, creating a bigger risk of escalation between the groups. 

Gardaí are aware of messages circulating on social media which appear to give a motive for the murder. However, they would not comment on questions regarding the alleged posts when asked by TheJournal.ie yesterday evening. 

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan expressed his “shock and horror” at the discovery of “this dreadful crime” yesterday.

“This was a depraved act of violence,” he said. “I wish to extend my sincere sympathy to the family of the victim.”

He noted that the Garda Commissioner had said “the full weight of An Garda Síochána will be brought to bear on this matter”.

“I also want to reassure people living in the locality that their concerns and the issue of violent crime in their area is being taken seriously at the highest levels, as reflected in the ever increasing levels of Gardaí allocated to their area.” 

The Moatview area has seen a spike in serious criminal activity in the past two years. Kenneth Finn was shot dead on the same street in 2018. That particular part of Coolock is controlled by a serious gangland criminal who gardaí have been investigating for five years. 

Labour Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has called for action from the Government and a dedicated task-force to be established to tackle criminal activity in the area. 

“Since the summer we have had five murders, a non-fatal shooting since the weekend and now this incident of a body being found. This is not normal,” said Ó Riordáin. 

“We need to see a real response to this in the form of a Northside crime task force, similar to the Mulvey Commission for the North Inner City.

“It is hard to believe that our constituency has two members sitting at Cabinet and a large scale project to tackle gang land crime occurring in Dublin Bay North has not been launched. Communities across our constituency are calling out for progress,” he said. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact Coolock Garda Station on 01 666 4200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.   

With reporting by Cónal Thomas