Drug boss is among duo arrested in Baiba murder

Drug boss is among duo arrested in Baiba murder

Monday November 19 2007
A KILDARE-based drug boss has been arrested by gardai investigating the murder of Baiba Saulite. The 37-year-old was detained by detectives from Coolock at his home in Kildare early today. Officers arrested another man at the same time in a dawn raid on a house in Clonshaugh. This man was a member of the
gang formerly led by Marlo Hyland.

Both men were arrested on the first anniversary of the young mother’s murder. She was gunned down on the doorstep of her Swords’ home. Gardai suspect that a man known to her arranged for her murder.

The men arrested today weretaken to Malahide and Coolock garda stations where they are being detained under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

They are expected to be detained overnight while detectives put a number of matters to them in interviews. Neither man is a suspect for the murder. Sources told the Evening Herald that both men may have known details of the murder after it happened, and they are being questioned in relation to withholding this information.

Both men have been informally spoken to by gardai previously in relation to the murder, and both have denied any involvement in the killing.

The Kildare man is a known drug supplier who has links to a number of Dublin-based gangs, including members of the former Marlo Hyland gang, drug suppliers in Tallaght and Clondalkin, and gangs in the Crumlin-Drimnagh area.

Gardai suspect him of involvement in citywide drug dealing over the past ten years, but he has no convictions for serious
crime.

The second man, in his early 40s, was arrested by gardai at an address in the Clonshaugh this morning. He was a minor
associate of former gang boss Marlo Hyland, but is not viewed as being as senior as the Kildare man in underworld circles.

Like the Kildare man he is also being questioned on suspicion of withholding information in relation to the death of Baiba. The arrests were made as part of an ongoing garda investigation into the murder, carried out by officers from Santry, Coolock and Swords.

A decision on whether to prosecute the chief suspect for the murder of the Latvian mum is unlikely to be taken until the New Year, as a number of garda investigations are still to be completed.

The file on the killing of the mother of two at her home in Swords a year ago, will not be complete for another two months, as officers continue with a number of investigations. The chief suspect in the case, is currently serving a prison sentence.

Swords gardai have now reiterated their appeal on the killing, asking for anyone who was in the area of the shooting at Holywell at the time to contact them at (01) 666-4700 or members of the public can contact the Garda Confidential Phoneline on 1800 666111..