Man charged with money-laundering €64k in cash and having cannabis for sale or supply at his Cork home

Accused was charged with having €10,000 worth of cannabis on Wednesday and was further charged with the money-laundering and cannabis offence four years ago

Gardaí arrested 48-year-old Piotr Szczepanik at South Douglas Road and in a follow-up search at his home in Grange on Wednesday, they found about €10,000 worth of cannabis, it was alleged in court. File picture

Gardaí charged a man on Wednesday with money-laundering in respect of over €64,000 in cash four years ago, and having cannabis for sale or supply on the same occasion.

When gardaí stopped the accused, they got a smell of cannabis from his car, the court heard.

Detective Garda Dylan Murphy arrested 48-year-old Piotr Szczepanik at South Douglas Road and in a follow-up search at his home in Grange on Wednesday, they found about €10,000 worth of cannabis, it was alleged in court.

On Thursday, at Cork District Court, Piotr Szczepanik was charged for the first time in respect of the May 2021 matters and other alleged offences occurring on Wednesday.

Det Garda Murphy said there was no Garda objection to the accused being remanded on bail on the various charges. 

However, Judge Mary Dorgan attached additional conditions in respect of cash lodgements. 

Defence solicitor Eddie Burke said there was no one Piotr Szczepanik could get as an independent surety and he had no money himself for his own part of the bail.

Judge Dorgan said she was attaching the financial conditions because of the amounts involved in the charges. His own bond of €15,000 with a €1,500 cash lodgement, and an independent surety of €5,000, with a €1,000 cash lodgement was required by the judge.

He was remanded in custody with consent to bail until June 19.

The bail conditions required by the prosecution require him to sign daily at Togher Garda Station, provide gardaí with a mobile phone number within 24 hours, as his existing phone was seized as part of the investigation, remain free of intoxicants and not leave the jurisdiction. 

His passport was surrendered and he undertook not to apply for new travel documents.

In respect of Wednesday, he was charged with having cannabis for his own use and for sale or supply at South Douglas Road. He was further charged with similar counts in respect of his home at 7 Woodview, Pinecroft, Grange, namely having cannabis and having it for sale or supply.

In relation to May 6, 2021, he was charged with having cannabis and possession of it for sale or supply at an address at Eagle Valley, Wilton, Cork, when its value was put at €4,000. He was further charged with money-laundering in respect of €64,140 on that occasion.