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FEELING THE BYRNE

Liam Byrne suffers another ’empire crumble’ blow as former HQ home and second pad sold off days before UK extradition

The property – seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau under ‘Operation Lamp’ in 2016 – was initially valued at €1 million due to the extensive refurbishment

• Stephen Breen, Crime Editor

• Published: 7:00, 15 Dec 2023

LIAM Byrne suffered another blow this week as his former HQ was sold.

The Irish Sun can reveal Byrne, accused of being a senior Kinahan cartel gangster, bought the home in Crumlin’s Raleigh Square for just over €300,000 and spent a further €750,000 on a major revamp.

The property – seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau under ‘Operation Lamp’ in 2016 – was initially valued at €1 million due to the extensive refurbishment.

It was later placed on the market for €400,000 before an agreement for a reduced fee was reached in the last week.

All proceeds from the sale will now go back to the State.

The sale was completed just days before Byrne was extradited to the UK by the National Crime Agency – who have been working closely with the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau – on Tuesday to stand trial on alleged firearms charges.

We also understand Thomas Bomber Kavanagh’s son Jack, 21, will also be extradited to Ireland over the coming weeks on the same charges.

Before last week’s sale, the High Court ruled it had been forfeited to CAB as it had been renovated “through the proceeds of crime.”

The three-bedroom property included a gym, children’s play area, home cinema and bar.

It also had a jacuzzi, walk-in wardrobes, electronic gates, CCTV and state of the art TVs.

One investigator told us: “Byrne loved living there because it was close to his family members but its seizure is just another example of how his empire has crumbled.

“He has lost his house, his business and if convicted is facing a long stretch in prison all because of his apparent loyalty to Daniel Kinahan.”

Byrne also lost another home – his pad in Clondalkin, which was also burnt out in the past, was also sold in the last two weeks for over €300,000.

In a statement, the NCA said: “Liam Byrne, who is thought to be one of the most trusted members of the Kinahan organised crime group, has been returned to the UK to stand trial for alleged firearms offences following a National Crime Agency investigation.

ESCORTED BACK

“He was escorted back to the UK by a team of officers from the NCA’s Joint International Crime Centre.”

Craig Turner, Deputy Director of Investigations at the NCA, said: “The arrest and extradition of Liam Byrne highlights the NCA’s ongoing work to target the alleged activities of the Kinahan organised crime group.”

The case relates to a firearms haul which includes three handguns, four machine guns, a rifle and three machine pistols. They were uncovered in the Jerrettspass area of Newry, Co Down, in May 2021. Investigators believed the “ready for use” weapons were going to be sold to mobs over here.

Following the discovery, NCA investigators obtained secret ‘EncroChat’ messages they say linked Byrne to the firearms.

The NCA claim Byrne was part of a plot orchestrated by Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh aimed at getting a reduced jail sentence for drugs charges, which involved planting weapons in the North and directing authorities to find them.