FLASH IN THE PAN | 

Gangster Mr Flashy uses Dublin burger joint for meetings as drug tensions rise

He has been spotted numerous times hosting “business meetings” with associates in a burger restaurant in the Grafton Street area.

Ken Foy

Today at 07:30

Street drug-dealing tensions have increased in inner-city Dublin in recent weeks, with associates of the criminal known as Mr Flashy muscling in on the lucrative market.

Because of the constant threats to his life, the 30-year-old dealer cannot stay in his native Finglas and has been living on the capital’s south side for several months. He also spent time at a location in Co Wexford during the summer.

He has been spotted numerous times hosting “business meetings” with associates in a burger restaurant in the Grafton Street area.

“He’s very much a player on the street-level scene in the city now,” a source said.

“A number of individuals are dealing on his behalf on the quays, particularly near Merchants Quay. His name is being thrown around by street dealers.

“Traditional dealers are being driven out and they’re not happy.

“This has led to an increase in intimidation and tension, and the drug unit in Kevin Street Garda Station are aware of what is happening.

“Typically, he’s never spotted down there – he seems to spend a lot of his time at a location near Baggot Street. But he’s regularly spotted at the burger joint in town.

‘Mr Flashy’ cannot be named for legal reasons as he is facing serious charges before the courts.

He is a main protagonist in the deadly Finglas feud, which has led to dozens of violent attacks and one murder, that of James ‘Whela’ Whelan (29), who was shot dead in April last year.

Whelan was on the opposite side of the feud to Mr Flashy’s crew, but like several people involved, he was once pals with members of the rival gang. No one has been charged with his murder.

Mr Flashy has survived a number of attempts on his life during the feud, including last December when he was present when one of his closest associates was shot in the buttocks and hand on Cardiffsbridge Road, Finglas.

After multiple shots were fired, the gunmen sped from the scene and crashed their car in the Berryfield area of Finglas before setting it alight.

Sources said the associate who survived the shooting and is also facing serious feud-related charges before the courts, has been spotted in Mr Flashy’s company in recent weeks.

It is understood the movements of the pair are being monitored by officers from Irishtown garda station.

With Mr Flashy no longer based in Finglas, other gangs in the Dublin 11 area have expanded their operations and are making large amounts of money from drug dealing.

“It’s clear and has been for a long time that Finglas is no longer a safe place for the individual you refer to as Mr Flashy,” a source said.

Since his departure, there has been an absence of violent incidents in recent months.

A common feature of the feud was the targeting of innocent family members of those involved in the gang warfare.

In the early hours of May 21 last year, the mother and brother of murder victim Whelan were lucky to escape injury when the family home was petrol-bombed by members of Mr Flashy’s mob.