Irish republicanism, its all about the money.

IRA plc is biggest crime gang in Europe. The Republicans' crooked business empire rakes in huge amounts. Raids on illegal distilleries, mainly in border areas, have uncovered bottling and capping machinery and high- quality copies of brand labels. Many of the products are designed for use in pub optics. The IRAs elite robbery team is a dedicated unit allegedly run by Bobby Storey, its director of intelligence who is revered by republicans for his anti-surveillance expertise. Smuggling is a way of life in South Armagh, the heartland of militant republicanism. According to Customs, about half of Northern Irelands filling stations sell fuel smuggled from the Irish Republic, where duty is considerably lower, at a cost to the Treasury of about £200 million a year. Wherever there is a penny to be made, these boys will be turning their hands to it, said one security official. Seizures of pirate DVDs, CDs and computer games and software are at record levels but the quantity of goods recovered is believed to be dwarfed by how much escapes detection. Special Branch believes that the IRA received up to $6 million (£3.1 million) for helping to train Marxist rebels in Colombia. The IRAs finance unit is said to have contributed to Belfasts property boom by investing in property.

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• IRA plc
• crime gang
• Europe
• Colombia farc ira