DRUG-DEALING FAMILY'S POUNDS 51,000 FORFEIT

JUDGE Elizabeth Dunne at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has ordered the
forfeiture of pounds 51,300 cash she was told belonged to a notorious Cork
drugs dealing family.

The cash was seized by customs officer Roisin Wiseman at Dublin Airport on
August 11, 1998, from a Cork man who had an open return ticket to Amsterdam
and said he didn't know who was to meet him there to collect the money.

Judge Dunne was told that Customs and Excise officials believed the money
was being taken to Holland for a man named in an affidavit before the court
as John Martin Flynn, otherwise known as Seanie Flynn, who was caught soon
afterwards there with 35,000 ecstasy tablets.

Finbar O'Leary, assistant principal officer, Revenue Commissioners, said in
the affidavit that Customs officers believed Seanie Flynn was a member of a
family involved in illegal drugs trafficking to Ireland from Holland and
Spain.

Mr O'Leary said investigations indicated it was a member of the Flynn family
who arranged for the money to be taken to Holland. Customs officials had
been acting on confidential information when the courier was stopped at
Dublin airport.

Judge Dunne was told in the affidavit that the man stopped at the airport
said he had been offered pounds 5,000 to carry the cash but couldn't name
the person who asked him to do so "for fear of his life". He had been told
the money had nothing to do with drugs.

The courier indicated he didn't want anything more to do with the money and
was not contesting the forfeiture application.

Justin Dillon BL, for the DPP, said all the indications in the details
contained in the affidavit showed the money was intended for use in drugs
trafficking.

Judge Dunne said she was satisfied from all that had been opened to her that
the money was intended for use in drugs trafficking and should be forfeited
under section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act.