Two men apprehended by gardaí at the roadside in Co Wexford were engaged in the handover of €469,000, it was alleged at Gorey District Court on Thursday 6 February.

The pair brought before Judge Brian O'Shea were Adam Rzepka of 26 Cammoc, Kilmainham, Dublin 8, and lorry driver Paudie Greene of 12 Talbot Court, Trim, Co Meath.

One of the arresting officers from the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) confirmed his belief that the money was the proceeds of crime.

Bail

No objection was raised to the granting of bail once a surety of €5,000 in cash was produced by way of surety in both cases.

Rzepka agreed to reside at 26 Cammoc, Kilmainham, Dublin 8, and to sign on daily at Kilmainham garda station while on bail. His solicitor stated that her client had no passport but that he was willing to hand over his ID card.

Greene was allowed to retain his passport on the basis that he relied on it for his livelihood as a heavy goods vehicle driver.

Bail condition

He was told to sign on regularly at Trim garda station as a condition of his bail.

His address was given in court paperwork as 12 Talbot Court, Trim.

Charges alleging acquisition of the proceeds of crime at Barntown on 4 February were adjourned after Judge O’Shea refused jurisdiction in the matter.

The defendants were formally remanded in custody, with consent to bail, to appear at Cloverhill District Court next week.

Arrested

The men were arrested on Wednesday arising from suspicion of their involvement in an offence of money laundering, contrary to the provisions of section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing) Act, 2010.

An Garda Síochána said that investigating officers undertook a number of related searches in Swords and Trim.

Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll of Special Crime Operations said: "Removing the proceeds of crime from those involved in serious and organised crime is a particular priority of the Garda Síochána in its attempt to dismantle organised crime groups that operate at an international level.

"This significant seizure of cash by the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau follows closely after another seizure of a substantial quantity of cash last week, bringing the total amount of cash seized by that bureau so far in 2020 to about €1m,” he added.

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