IEP 223,000 OF FELLONI DRUG PROFITS GO TO EXCHEQUER

The High Court yesterday ordered that IEP 223,000 collected by a
court-appointed receiver from three members of the Felloni family be paid
into the Exchequer.

The order was made on the application of the Director of Public
Prosecutions.

It was the first time since the introduction of the Criminal Justice Act,
1994 that such an order was made. The Act provides for the forfeiture of
property used in the commission of crime and the recovery of proceeds of
drug trafficking and other offences.

Mr Justice O'Sullivan directed that a sum of IEP 197,160.67 recovered
from Regina Felloni in respect of a confiscation order be paid over.

Recovered

Most of the money recovered from her came from four bank accounts held by
her, totalling almost IEP 115,000.

Money also came from:

* The sale of her house at Mellows Road, Finglas, Dublin, worth IEP
70,500.

* Sterling drafts of almost IEP 24,000.

* The sale of her car for IEP 2,750.

The court also ordered that a further IEP 8,445 recovered from Ms
Felloni be used to discharge a Corporation loan on her former home.

Mr Justice O'Sullivan made orders that a sum of IEP 12,394.66 recovered
from her father Anthony Felloni and a sum of IEP 14,191.48 from her
brother Luigi be paid into the Exchequer by the solicitor appointed by the
court as receiver over all the realisable assets of each of the Fellonis.

Sentences

All three members of the Felloni family are serving sentences for
drugs-related offences.

None of them was in court yesterday to hear the judge order the handover of
their assets to the State, although they were legally represented.

Anthony Felloni is serving a 14-year sentence, Luigi (27) is serving six
years while Regina (21) is serving six years and nine months.

Ms Felloni pleaded guilty in 1996 to possession of heroin with intent to
supply others.

Judge Groarke of the Circuit Court said he was satisfied that she had
benefited from drug trafficking in the amount of IEP 400,000.

Her father was also convicted of possessing heroin with intent to supply.