A Dublin man, Mr Kevin Meehan, who is accused of money-laundering, told gardai that large sums of money deposited in foreign bank accounts were the proceeds of tobacco sales and gambling, the Special Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Asked by a detective sergeant of the Criminal Assets Bureau, who cannot be named for legal reasons, if he had anything to do with drugs, Mr Meehan allegedly said: "Never. I detest drugs. I would never have anything to do with them."
It was the fourth day of the trial.
Mr Kevin Meehan (60), of Stanaway Road, Kimmage, has pleaded not guilty to handling sterling bank drafts totalling £185,738, £4,500 Irish in cash and a cheque for £4,000 Irish knowing the money was the proceeds of drug-trafficking or crime in 1995 and 1996.
He also denies removing the money from the State to assist in the avoidance of prosecution or the making of a confiscation order.
The prosecution is being brought under the Criminal Justice Act of 1994 which makes it illegal to assist in laundering money which is the proceeds of crime.
The interview between Mr Meehan and Criminal Assets Bureau gardai took place at Lucan Garda station after his arrest on May 6th, 1997. The court heard that Mr Meehan told gardai he lived on social welfare payments of "around £60" a week and that bank documents showing transactions of large amounts of money in Ireland, the Isle of Man and Europe were for cash which did not belong to him.
He said that while he may have signed the back of some cheques and/or bank documents, the money belonged to his son, who had made profits from gambling on horses or dogs and selling large quantities of rolling tobacco.
Asked in interview with gardai if he believed the money had come from the sale of drugs, he allegedly replied that he did not.
Mr Paul McDermott SC, defending, asked the detective sergeant if during the interview Mr Meehan had said that if he believed the money had come from drugs he "wouldn't touch it".
"Yes, I believe so," said the sergeant.
Det Garda Geraldine Butler, of the document section at Garda Headquarters in Phoenix Park, with a speciality in forensics and handwriting, made comparisons between Mr Meehan's handwriting and signatures on bank documents and cheques.
She told the court she was satisfied that some signatures on cheques drawn in 1996 were written by Mr Meehan.
The trial continues.