Crime gang's €1 million fleet of vehicles under armed guard in The Curragh Camp

A fleet of vehicles worth €1m which were seized from criminals is being stored under armed guard in The Curragh Camp army base.

The high-powered cars, SUVs and motorbikes were confiscated as part of a CAB investigation into the Kinahan crime cartel earlier this month.

Independent.ie reports that the collection of 29 top-end Mercedes (like below), BMW, Golf GTI, Lexus and Landcruiser models, as well as six high-powered motorbikes, are being stored in a compound at the Defence Forces Training Centre (DFTC).

It is understood that senior gardaí made the decision to store the €1m fleet in the Curragh to stop the gang stealing the vehicles or have them destroyed.

The vehicles are parked in a compound that is guarded by armed soldiers in the sprawling military camp - which is home to 2,000 troops, including elite Army Rangers.

The Defence Forces Training Centre, which is never photographed for security reasons, is the centre of excellence for all Defence Forces training, education and logistical units.

The DFTC encompasses the Curragh Camp and the Glen of Imaal and offers large outdoor areas for training in activities as diverse as artillery and anti armour firing ranges and cross country driving.

Sources have also revealed to crime journalist Paul Williams that CAB took the added precaution of employing car manufacturers to rechip the luxury Irish and UK-registered vehicles.

The fleet was seized three weeks ago when CAB, backed up by heavily armed units, swooped on a dozen homes and businesses in south and west Dublin.

The vehicles were taken from a car salesroom jointly owned by a criminal who gardaí believe was one of the intended targets of the military-style Regency Hotel gun attack on February 5. Gardaí believe the vehicles were being exchanged as payment for drug shipments as well as transporting the narcotics.