Experts trawl through data after money-laundering raids

COMPUTER experts and forensic accountants are trawling through records seized during a major Garda operation which has already netted hundreds of thousands of euro, believed to be the proceeds of internationally laundered drugs money.

A husband and wife, who were among those arrested during the Garda operation in Cork city and county last weekend, were still being detained in Bandon Garda station last night.

Senior Garda sources said that while the couple — who are from Cork — are the only people currently being held, they expect to question several other people in the coming days and carry out further searches.

Last Saturday’s operation, which involved in excess of 40 gardaí, was the culmination of months of intelligence-gathering.

It’s the first significant investigation to be conducted under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act legislation, which was enacted last year.

It’s believed that around €300,000 was found in the boot of one of two cars seized by gardaí.

In addition to a substantial amount of further cash, gardaí also confiscated jewellery, computers, documents and a small quantity of cannabis resin.

A senior Garda source said that analysts would now be trawling bank accounts, business accounts, transactions with estate agents and car dealerships as part of the wider investigation into money laundering.

Gardaí believe the proceeds may come from international drug trafficking gang with links to Holland and Spain. The main gang members are Irish but are operating abroad, mainly in those two countries.

The operation involved detectives from Cork backed up by detectives from the Criminal Assets Bureau, Regional Support Unit, and Dogs Units.