JUDGE ORDERS DRUGS GANG TO FORFEIT CASH AFTER CUSTOMS SEIZURE

A major international operation by Irish Custom and Excise officers
has culminated in an order by Judge Elizabeth Dunne at Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court for the forfeiture by an Irish drugs gang of pounds
52,105 sterling which was seized in 1998.

Judge Dunne granted the application by the Director of Public
Prosecutions for the forfeiture of the money which was seized on March
9, 1998 by Customs and Excise officer Roisin Wiseman at Dublin Airport
from a man named Stephen Paul Newman who had just been booked on a
flight to London.

Mr Newman, a 31 year old English man, had been subjected to several
days' surveillance by personnel from the Customs and Excise drugs team
which had confidential information of his planned arrival. His
Amsterdam Dublin flight had been diverted to Shannon Airport where his
arrival was observed by customs' officers Michael McGill and Flannan
Quinlavan. He travelled to Dublin by bus on which one of his fellow
passengers was Mr McGill who also monitored his movements in the city
along with his colleague Finbar O'Leary, using separate cars which
were in radio contact.

Mr Newman booked into Buswell's Hotel where he remained for almost
three days before being driven to Dublin Airport by Belfast used car
salesman Mr Kevin McAlorum. Mr McAlorum handed over the Stg pounds
52,105 to Mr Newman wrapped in plastic in side a holdall and he also
bought a single ticket for Mr Newman to travel to London.

Mr O'Leary, a Customs and Excise assistant principal officer, told
Judge Dunne that Mr Newman left the unused return portion of his
original ticket be hind him in room 215 at Buswell's Hotel. This
ticket was bought by a Mr Paul Lowry for Mr Newman who telephoned a
warehouse in Amsterdam rented by Mr Lowry. The warehouse owner
identified photographs of two Belfast men, Liam "Fatboy" Mooney, of
Loughby Road, Carryduff, and Stephen Smith of Falls Road. Mr Newman
denied he knew any of these men.