Rathkeale Rovers

Common card · No. 393558

The Rathkeale Rovers are a group of criminals based in Ireland but operating internationally. They are all members of Ireland's Travelling Community, and use traditional Traveller work such as laying tarmac or home renovation as cover for illegal activities. Their name comes from their links with the town of Rathkeale in Ireland, which has been described as their "base". The gang originated and operates mainly out of Ireland. The man who originated the Rathkeale Rovers was "Sammy Buckshot" (real name Simon Quilligan) who was a small antiques dealer. The Rovers were then mainly carried on by the O'Brien family. The O'Briens were the members who originally started the theft of rhino horns from museums in 2010. The gang's crimes include fraud such as the tarmac scam, money laundering, drug smuggling, and art theft. The European Union's law enforcement agency, Europol, set up Operation Oakleaf in 2011 at the request of the Garda Síochána (Irish police), in order to gather intelligence on...

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