The Special Criminal Court today ruled that it will go ahead with deciding whether convicted drugs dealer John Gilligan benefited from drug trafficking.
The court rejected a final legal challenge by Gilligan's counsel Mr Michael O'Higgins SC to the application by the State to confiscate more than £14 million of Gilligan's assets.
Following the court's ruling, Gilligan's counsel applied for some time to study the judgement. The court adjourned the application until tomorrow.
The State is seeking to confiscate £14.2 million which it alleges were Gilligan's profits from importing 20,000 kilos of cannabis resin into the country over a two year period.
The court has heard that the State wants the High Court to appoint a receiver to realise Gilligan's assets which allegedly include an equestrian centre at Jessbrook, two houses in Lucan, a house at Blanchardstown, six vehicles, sixteen bank accounts and over £5 million he staked in bets.
Gilligan is serving a twenty eight years prison sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court on March 15th last for importing cannabis resin.
He was cleared of the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin, who was killed on June 26th, 1996.