Close friend of The Monk shot dead last night

The man was shot dead outside his home at a Meath housing estate last night has been named locally as Noel Duggan,a close friend of 'The Monk.'

Duggan, who was in his 50s, was shot five times in the chest as he sat in his car in the driveway of his home. The gunman fled across a green area in the Old Mill housing estate to a waiting car.

Three other men who accompanied the gunmen are believed to have made off in a second getaway car.

Two burned-out cars – a Saab and a BMV – were later found a short distance from the scene of the shooting, A second burned out BMW, believed to be connected to the incident was also found at the back of Dublin Airport.

Nicknamed ‘Kingsize’, the victim was a close friend of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch and was heavily involved in cigarette smuggling. In the past, he made a significant settlement with the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). The agency confiscated a Dublin city centre premises as part-payment for the €4 million bill.