GARDAÍ IN NORTH Dublin fear a ratcheting up of violence following the arrest of a senior gang leader in recent days. 

The man, who is known as Mr Flashy, was arrested in Temple Bar in the very early hours of Monday morning in relation to a €60,000 cocaine discovery. 

The first attack happened in the Abbotstown area of Finglas on Monday shortly after the criminal’s detention.

Two men suffered serious injuries in the incident.

Another assault near Dunsink Lane resulted in 19-year-old suffering laceration injuries. He was set upon by a group of men in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

A woman known to Mr Flashy also had her car burnt out.

One of the victims of the attack in Abbotstown was a close associate of deceased criminal Shane Fowler.

Fowler died in a motorbike accident in 2019 while on his way to carry out an attack on the gang led by Mr Flashy, known as the Gucci Gang.

The Gucci Gang has been on the radar of gardaí since 2018. The gang got its name due to the lavish lifestyles of its members – the man known as Mr Flashy earned his nickname for similar reasons. 

The attacks in Abbotstown and Dunsink took place in the wake of Monday’s arrests in Temple Bar. A kilo of cocaine was discovered. Flashy, along with eight other people were present in an apartment. 

He was arrested and later released with a file sent to the DPP. 

The criminal leader believes rival gangs received word he was in Temple Bar with a significant amount of drugs and informed gardaí, according to sources familiar with the Dublin drug trade. 

As a result of the heightened tensions, gardaí are on alert for more violent incidents.

Sources describe how officers are now taking a “proactive approach to policing” in areas of north Dublin, including parts of Finglas – and will be increasing visibility in areas known to be hotspots for gang violence. 

Officers, in recent weeks, formally told Mr Flashy that his life was in imminent danger and handed him an official document known as a Garda Information Message (GIM). 

Increased patrols, higher visibility and more undercover resources are being allocated to fight the latest gang feud.