Over €2m in cash seized by Gardai
A targeted Garda operation at the weekend resulted in over €2m being seized by Gardai following searches in Wexford and Dublin.
The intelligence-led operations began at around 10.45 a.m. on Saturday when officers from the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) stopped two vehicles at Whitemill Road, Clonard, in Wexford town.
Three men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of money laundering offences and were brought to Wexford Garda Station where they were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
The two vehicles were stopped by armed members of the GNDOCB and around €500,000 was seized.
A follow-up search was conducted at a house in the Slevoy area of Foulksmills where a quantity of cash - in the region of €100,000 - was discovered.
A woman in her late 30s, who is from Wexford, was arrested at the house and brought to Wexford Garda Station for questioning.
Gardai also went to another house but when they arrived at the scene a man driving a camper van left at high speed and following a chase was stopped and arrested.
He had a large sum of money in his possession, which was vacuum packed and contained in hold-all bags.
Meanwhile, two men appeared at yesterday’s (Monday’s) sitting of Wexford District Court charged with having posession of money in contravention of money laundering and terrorist legislation.
One of them was remanded in custody to appear again, via video link, at Wexford District Court on October 1. The other defendant was remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court this coming Friday.
The national media was out in force at the new Wexford Town courthouse at Belvedere Road as two men were brought in custody before Judge Gerard Haughton at yesterday’s (Monday’s) sitting of the District Court.
The accused were Bernard Joyce (44) with an address in County Meath at Beauparc, Navan, and Glenn Power (29) of 10 Colepark Road, Ballyfermot in Dublin.
The first case dealt with was that of Joyce who was represented by local solicitor Tim Cummings who had taken instructions from his latest client in the cells as the court dealt with licensing and debt matters.
The defendant was accused of having 20 bundles of cash, each containing €50,000 knowing the money to be the proceeds of crime. According to the charge sheet, the money was in his possession at Arnestown in Foulksmills on Saturday, September 22.
Proceedings were taken under money laundering and terrorist financing law.
Prosecuting Detective Garda Stephen Burke was called to give formal evidence of arrest, charge and caution.
Joyce, wearing a blue jacket and orange shirt, listened to the garda’s testimony from his seat at the side of the courtroom.
Garda Burke stated that the accused man made no reply when the charge was put to him.
Sergeant Gary Rayner applied to have the defendant remanded in custody until the Wexford Court sitting of October 1, to appear on that date by video link. Mr Cummings confirmed that no application for bail was being made at this point.
The judge pointed out that the way the alleged sum of money found in Joyce’s possession was presented on the charge sheet, it appeared to be just one euro rather than one million.
Sergeant Rayner was granted an amendment deleting a full stop to reflect the magnitude of the charge.
The solicitor indicated that his client was unemployed and that he would be seeking legal aid.
After Joyce was led away, Glenn Power was brought from the cells. The younger man faced two charges brought to court by Detective Fiona Connaughton of the garda organised crime unit. She confirmed that the accused had nothing to say when charged with having more than €1 million in contravention of money laundering and terrorist legislation.
She opposed the granting of bail, pointing to the seriousness of the charge and her belief that Power was a flight risk.
She said that a sum of €505,000 was discovered in the defendant’s possession at the weekend after what she called an intelligence led operation targeting a drug importation group.
She added that a subsequent search at his home in Ballyfermot where he resides with his mother, uncovered a further €500,000 in the attic.
The prosecution alleged that money was due to be handed over in Wexford on Saturday morning to a third party with a view to purchasing drugs abroad.
The court was told that Power was seen in a car park at the rear of an industrial unit with the €505,000. Detective Garda Connaughton suggested that he was caught red-handed.
The accused man, dressed in dark jacket and white tee-shirt, was represented by barrister Tracy Horan, instructed by local solicitor Catherine O’Connor.
Ms Horan put it to the arresting officer that Power did not know how much money he had in the car.
The detective responded that the bag containing the cash was very heavy and he must have been aware at least that a substantial sum was involved.
Counsel said that Power’s passport was in court and could be handed over but the prosecution insisted that he was nevertheless a flight risk.
In seeking bail, Ms Horan revealed that her client had a serious back injury and that he was drawing social welfare in the form of illness benefit.
Members of his family and his partner were present in court as Judge Gerard Haughton refused to grant bail. Instead, the two charges were adjourned to Friday, September 28 at Cloverhill District Court in Dublin.