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Date Published: 22/06/2023

Fugitive Irish mobster hands himself over to Spanish police for drug charges

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Son of notorious gangster John Gilligan failed to show up at trial in Alicante last October

Fugitive Irish mobster hands himself over to Spanish police for drug charges

The 47-year-old son of infamous Irish drug lord John Gilligan has placed himself at the mercy of the Irish courts and agreed to be extradited to Spain to face drug smuggling charges. Darren Gilligan was arrested in Dublin on April 12 after the Spanish authorities issued a European warrant for his arrest when he failed to show up at trial back in October.

At the time, Darren was subpoenaed to give evidence at his father’s trial in Torrevieja but no trace of him could be found in either Spain or Ireland for months. But this week, he was up in front of the Irish High Court where he volunteered to be surrendered to Spain.

He faces up to four years behind bars for his part in a plot to traffic illegal drugs and psychotropic substances to Ireland in packages of toys and flip-flops. Darren claims he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time but the warrant clearly states that Murcia Police were investigating "a network of people dedicated to the distribution of narcotic substances in the Alicante area" and subsequently fingered Gilligan junior through a series of surveillance operations and phone tapping.

The evidence appears to be stacked against Darren, according to the Murcian authorities, who claim that he and another gang member were overheard planning to send packages of cannabis from Dolores and Catral post offices to Ireland in September 2020.

The following month he was seen trying to post prescription sleeping pills from Pilar de la Horadada, San Pedro del Pinatar and Santiago de la Ribera.

Finally, 3,582 euros worth of marijuana buds were found in his car when Darren was stopped by Torrevieja police at a petrol station, and a subsequent search of his Alicante home led to the seizure of 23 Zoplicone tablets and a vacuum-packaging machine.

The Irish judge confirmed that Darren Gilligan will be extradited to Spain within the next 20 days. He is currently out on bail against Garda recommendations.

In other news: Most wanted Finnish fugitive arrested in Alicante

Image: Pexels

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