David Callaghan, 33, from Harelawn Park in Clondalkin, Dublin, has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison this week for his involvement in an organized crime group engaged in international money laundering and drug trafficking. Callaghan, who operated at a high level within a west Dublin gang, was found to have connections with the notorious crime group known as ‘The Family.’
Callaghan had managed to avoid Garda’s attention until one of his associates, who was caught with cash and incriminating messages on his phone, led authorities to his doorstep. While Callaghan was part of a different gang, investigators believe he collaborated with ‘The Family’ as part of a more extensive drug-trafficking network.
Gardaí discovered an electronic ledger detailing transactions exceeding €924,000 between June 2021 and January 2022, linking Callaghan to serious criminal activities. Judge Martin Nolan, who sentenced Callaghan, emphasized his high-level involvement in a significant criminal organization involved in drug dealing and money laundering.
The gang linked to Callaghan was suspected of being behind a €10 million drug seizure at Dublin Port in November 2021. The seizure, which included 60kg of cocaine, 22kg of heroin, 145kg of cannabis resin, 79kg of cannabis herb, and 1kg of ketamine, was concealed within a shipment of furniture from the Netherlands. Communications between Callaghan and his associates on an encrypted messaging app referenced the seizure.
Callaghan’s network was also tied to a €700,000 cannabis haul seized in Crooksling on the Dublin-Wicklow border in July 2022. The broader ‘Family’ crime network has been linked to several significant drug seizures, including an €8.4 million cocaine shipment flown into a private airport in Longford in August 2022. Tim Gilchrist, the company director and pilot involved, was sentenced to 11-and-a-half years in July.
During Callaghan’s sentencing hearing, it was revealed that confidential information about a money transfer in a Spar car park in Swords led to the discovery of €373,000 in cash. The confusion between Callaghan’s associate Dylan Byrne and Carl Buckley, a criminal linked to another gang, resulted in the money being seized, along with a small amount of drugs found in a secret compartment.
Byrne, who was previously caught with €320,000 in a hidden compartment, had a single previous conviction. His arrest led to significant evidence against Callaghan, including hundreds of texts, voice notes, and photos on Byrne’s phone detailing Callaghan’s criminal activities, including money laundering and drug trafficking.
Searches of Callaghan’s properties revealed 25kg of benzocaine, used as a cutting agent for cocaine. Callaghan was arrested and, while exercising his right to silence, eventually pleaded guilty to charges related to assisting the criminal organization. Judge Nolan sentenced him to 13-and-a-half years, with the final five years suspended due to mitigating factors such as the tragic deaths of three of Callaghan’s siblings.
Defence counsel highlighted Callaghan’s difficult upbringing and personal struggles, including addiction. Callaghan expressed regret in a letter to the court, acknowledging the harm to his family and vowing to improve his life for the sake of his children. Testimonies from Callaghan’s family, friends, and previous employers were submitted, reflecting his character and personal hardships.
Despite Callaghan’s early guilty plea and acknowledgement of his wrongdoing, the extensive criminal activities linked to him and his associates underscore the significant impact of his involvement in the broader criminal network.
