The Westies was the name given by the Irish media to a criminal gang based in Blanchardstown, west Dublin, Ireland.
They controlled the heroin trade in west Dublin in the late 90s and early 2000s and were known for their extreme violence against drug addicts and rival drug dealers. The gang, who were also involved in armed robberies and extortion, imploded after the murders of all of its leaders.[1][2][3]
Bernard 'Verb' Sugg (23) was shot dead by two masked men in a pub in Blanchardstown in August 2003.[4] Shane Coates (31) and Stephen Sugg (27) went missing in Spain in 2004. Their bodies were found buried under concrete in a warehouse near Alicante in July 2006. Both had been shot in the head. Spanish police suspect they were killed after crossing another group of Irish gangsters based in Spain.[5][6][7] Coates had fled to Spain after being injured in a shoot-out with Gardaí in Cavan in 2003.[8] In April 2005, Andrew Glennon (30) was shot dead after being ambushed by at least four gunmen near his home in Clonee. His brother Mark (32) was shot dead outside his home in Blanchardstown by a lone gunman five months later.
Further reading[edit]
- Williams, Paul. "Crime Lords". Merlin Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1903582512
References[edit]
- ^ Chrisafis, Angelique (23 November 2004). "Gangland shooting terrorises Dublin suburb". The Guardian.
- ^ O'Keeffe, Cormac (23 August 2003). "Gardai fear crime boss seeking revenge for killing". Irish Examiner.
- ^ Foy, Ken (13 June 2011). "Garda swoop foils the revival of feared Westies crime gang". Herald.ie.
- ^ Khan, Frank (12 November 2003). "Murder hunt as man gunned down in new gangland killing". Irish Independent.
- ^ Collins, Liam (23 July 2006). "Flying too close to the sun on Costa del Crime". Irish Independent.
- ^ "Irish gangsters' bodies buried in Spanish warehouse,say police". The Guardian. 21 July 2006.
- ^ "Two bodies found in Spain maybe missing men". RTÉ.ie. 18 July 2006.
- ^ Phelan, Shane (19 March 2009). "'These guys were real psychopaths'". Irish Independent.