A man has gone on trial for money-laundering the proceeds of drug dealing or other criminal activity, after £105,000 was found in the attic of his home. Mr Desmond McHugh told gardai he was holding the money for his brother in law, Mr Mark Connor, whom he knew to be "a robber".
Mr McHugh (41), married, of Cherrywood Crescent, Clondalkin, has pleaded not guilty to handling £95,785 and £7,240 sterling on November 7th, 1996 knowing or believing it to be the proceeds of Mr Connor's drugs dealing or other criminal activity.
Judge Dominic Lynch and the jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court were told that gardai from the National Bureau of Fraud Investigation and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation were jointly involved in the operation concerning the money.
Det Sgt Anthony Hughes told Mr Feargal Kavanagh, prosecuting, that Mr McHugh's home was searched on November 7th, 1996 as a result of confidential information. Mr McHugh made a statement in which he said that about 12 months previously Mr Connor arrived home from England and asked him to hold some money for him. Mr Connor handed him a plastic bag which he "just threw into the attic".
Det Sgt Hughes said the defendant claimed Mr Connor arrived home from England several times over the year. Mr Connor gave him bags each time. He put them in the attic but never touched them again. Mr McHugh said he initially didn't think it was drugs money he was holding.
Det Sgt Hughes said the defendant told how on one occasion Mr Connor asked for a screwdriver to unscrew car-door panels. He later saw 10 packets on the back seat and was sure they had drugs in them. He said all he ever got from Mr Connor was £100 one time for drinks.
Forensic scientist Ms Mary O'Connor told Mr Kavanagh she found minute heroin traces in debris from two of the packages recovered from Mr McHugh's attic. The hearing continues.