Gardaí seek to freeze accounts in drugs probe

DETECTIVES investigating what is believed to be a major international drugs money-laundering operation are to apply to the courts to examine bank statements and freeze some accounts.

Senior garda sources said they wanted to establish money trails and examine “the income and expenditure and lifestyles,” of a number of people, not just a Cork husband and wife arrested last Saturday as part of the ongoing operation.

The couple, who are in their 40s, were still being questioned at Bandon Garda Station yesterday under the provisions of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act, which was enacted last year.

They were arrested after a team of more than 40 gardaí raided several premises across Cork city and county last weekend as part of a major crackdown on the international proceeds of crime.

A number of other people are to be questioned in the coming days.

Gardaí started working on the case four months ago, gathering a considerable amount of intelligence before mounting the raids which uncovered hundreds of thousands of euro.

Around €300,000 alone was found in the boot of one of two cars seized by the gardaí.

Detectives also seized computers, jewellery, documentation and a small quantity of cannabis.

Forensic accountants and computer experts are now trawling through the information.

Gardaí believe the cash belonged to an international drug trafficking gang with links to Holland and Spain.

Meanwhile, in an unconnected operation, officers from the Revenue’s Customs Service seized 50,000 unstamped Palace cigarettes and 37.5kg of unstamped Samson roll-your-own tobacco on the north side of Cork city.

A spokesman for the Revenue’s Customs Service said the cigarettes and tobacco had a combined retail value of €34,500 and represented a loss to the Exchequer of €27,300.

A commercial van was also seized during the operation.

“A man in his 40 was questioned and further investigations are under way,” the spokesman said.

It is the latest in a number of operations mounted by the Revenue’s Customs Service against the illegal sale of cigarettes and tobacco in the city.

The Revenue’s Customs Service is urging any member of the public with information on such illegal sales to contact their free confidential hotline [phone].