Rob Horgan
A GANGLAND war is ‘in danger of exploding’ on the Costa del Sol.
It comes after the killing of key gangland figure Gary Hutch sparked panic among Spanish and Irish authorities.
The hit on Hutch was reportedly ordered after he stole over €100,000 from Estepona-based drug lord, Irishman Christy Kinahan.
Irish police now believe ‘heavies’ from the notorious Kinahan clan are Dublin-bound to punish other ‘untrustworthy’ drug associates.
Under the clampdown, they are reportedly after ‘Fat Freddie’ Thompson, a key distributor in Ireland who has also been pocketing profits for himself.
First lieutenant to Kinahan, Hutch, 34, was shot in the back three times at his swimming pool in Miraflores.
His attacker was seen fleeing in a balaclava and his getaway car was found burnt out later in Cabopino.
A previous attempt to bump off Hutch last year resulted in the accidental shooting of British boxer Jamie Moore, outside son Daniel Kinahan’s Estepona home.
Irish police now fear things could ‘blow up’ as Hutch is the nephew of 1980s Dublin kingpin Gerry ‘the Monk’ Hutch.
The killing has also been linked to the murder of Gerard ‘the Hatchet’ Kavanagh 12 months ago.
Kavanagh, another Kinahan associate with links to drug trafficking, was shot nine times by masked men in broad daylight in Elviria.
The Olive Press was the first paper on the scene and reported on the broad-daylight carnage that left bullets sprayed around a busy square from two balaclava wearing crooks.
His death and the hit on his brother Paul Kavanagh in March were also allegedly ordered by the Kinahan empire.
Both brothers are said to have stolen from the clan.
The bloody clampdown comes two years since crimelord Kinahan got out of prison, after a four year sentence for money laundering in Belgium.
During that time he had allegedly entrusted his operation to his son Daniel, who also lives in Estepona.
When released, Irish police predicted there would be a clampdown to reclaim money taken from Kinahan while he was in prison.
“Police are wary that there are going to be more killings on the way both in Ireland and Spain,” a source told the Olive Press. “These things rarely happen alone… there are normally a few in quick succession.”
He added: “Luckily the National Police and Guardia are being strengthened with an extra 10,000 jobs over the next year, mostly on the costas.
“There are more police being assigned to airports and train stations, largely in connection to terrorist group ISIS, but also to keep an eye on gangland activity.”
