Justice Minister hails ‘spectacular success’ of garda operation

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell yesterday hailed the discovery of an alleged money laundering operation as vindication of the Government’s stance that republicans were engaged in criminal activity.

Mr McDowell, who has been one of the most vocal critics of Sinn Féin and the IRA, described the garda operation this week as “a spectacular success”.

However, the minister declined to comment on the possibility that some of the sterling seized by gardaí in Cork this week was part of the proceeds from the Northern Bank robbery in Belfast last December.