Largest seizure of criminal cash revealed in court

A massive cache was intercepted from Irishman Mark Lee at Dublin Airport on March 15, 2008, as he was about to board a flight to Brussels.

The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that when Customs officers searched his suitcase they found only cash inside.

The court was told that Mr Lee admitted that the purpose of the trip was to deliver the cash on behalf of a drug dealer.

Judge Tony Hunt ruled that the cash, totalling €676,625, was either the proceeds of crime, or was intended to be used in crime, and ordered it be handed over to the Revenue Commissioners.

He made the order under Section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1994, amended by Section 21 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 1995.

A spokesman for the Revenue confirmed afterwards it was the "largest singular cash seizure" by Revenue’s Customs service to date.

The original Criminal Justice Act limited seizure powers to cash suspected of being linked to drug trafficking.

This was expanded in 2005 to cover cash linked to any criminal activity.

In a second case, Judge Hunt heard that €190,000 in cash was seized at Dublin Airport from Thomas Black on January 23, 2008.

The court was told that Mr Black was about to board a flight to Malaga, Spain.

The court heard that Mr Black had claimed the purpose of his trip was to drop off the money, which he said belonged to another individual, whom he declined to name.

The court was told that following separate investigations by Revenue’s Cash Investigation Unit, files were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who directed that forfeiture proceedings be taken on the basis that both seizures were linked to drug trafficking.

The forfeiture applications were unopposed and Judge Hunt ordered the forfeiture of the cash. He added that it was "a good day for the Exchequer".

Commenting on the two cases, a Revenue spokesman said: "These seizures illustrate the critical role played by Revenue’s Customs Service in disrupting the activities of criminal gangs in moving large amounts of cash through our ports and airports."

He said there have been five seizures so far this year.

There were 34 seizures of suspect cash amounting to €1.35 million in 2009 and 37 seizures totalling €3.48m in 2008.

This compares to 17 seizures, totalling €494,000, in 2007 and 11 seizures, totalling €724,900, in 2006.