More than €2 million seized in Garda swoop
FIVE PEOPLE ARRESTED AS GARDA SPECIAL UNIT TARGETS ORGANISED CRIME GANGS
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.
OVER €2m has been 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.
Superintendent Designate Denis Whelan said the two vehicles were stopped by armed members of the GNDOCB and that around €500,000 was seized from the vehicles.
A follow-up search was conducted at a house in the Slevoy area of Foulksmills, believed to be the residence of one of the men arrested in Clonard, during which a quantity of cash - in the region of €100,000 - was discovered at the house.
A woman in her late 30s, who is from Wexford and believed to be the partner of one of the men detained in Clonard, was arrested at the house under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. She was also 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 was found to be in possession of a large sum of money which was vacuum packed and contained in hold-all bags.
Supt Designate Whelan said the man was arrested and taken to Wexford Garda Station for questioning.
He also said local detectives were involved in the intelligence led operation.
On Sunday evening the woman, along with two of the men arrested the previous day, were released from custody.
Files in relation to the three suspects are currently being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Gardaí believe the money is related to a crime gang and that it was due to be moved out of the country when it was intercepted.
Superintendent John McDonald said it was a targeted national operation and that the members involved were working within their own remit.
Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll, who is the head of the Special Crime Operations (SCO) division said:
‘Depriving organised crime gangs of the proceedings of their criminal activity is a particular priority for the Garda Síochána.’
He said it was a result of that priority targeting that the searches in Wexford and Dublin were carried out on Saturday resulting in the arrests and ‘seizure of a very significant quantity of cash’.