The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) with the assistance of the Garda Emergency Response Unit, the Southern Region Garda Armed Support Unit, the Garda Dog Unit, the Cork Divisional Search Team and local Detective and Uniform Gardai based in County Cork conducted a search operation this morning, Thursday the 13th of February 2020 in Counties Cork and Tipperary.
Searches at 21 locations in County Cork and one location in County Tipperary were conducted in total.
The search locations include 11 Residential Dwellings, four Business Premises, one Hotel Room and six Professional Premises (Solicitors, Accountants etc).
During the course of the search, the following was seized:
€22,500 in cash
191 registration Renault Kadjar
182 registration Kia Sportage
142 registration Skoda Superb
171 registration Range Rover
162 registration Hyundai Santa Fe
151 regisration Volkswagen Passat
2 Louis Vuitton bags
1 Rolex watch
In addition to this, a small quantity of suspected cocaine and cannabis herb, Mobile phones, Financial records and Business records were also seized and funds were restrained in four different financial accounts.
Two men were arrested at the scene by local Gardaí. One man was arrested on foot of a Court bench warrant while another man was arrested for an offence under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1997 as amended. The offence had occurred on an earlier date.
Background
The CAB investigation centres on an individual involved in the sale and supply of controlled drugs in Cork City and County. The individual is linked to a number of businesses in West Cork and it is believed that he is laundering the proceeds of his criminal conduct, namely the supply of controlled drugs through these businesses.
Today’s search operation emanated from a preliminary investigation conducted by a local trained Divisional Asset Profiler in West Cork, which resulted in the commencement of the CAB investigation and has dealt a significant blow to the drug distribution network in Cork City and Cork County and is an example of the Criminal Assets Bureau working closely with the Garda Division through the Asset Profiler Network.
In total there were 124 personnel taking part in today’s search operation comprising of the Criminal Assets Bureau, local uninformed Gardai and Detectives, the Garda Emergency Response Unit, the Regional Armed Support Unit and the Dog Unit and Divisional Search Team.
