TOTAL FELLONI CONFISCATION YIELDS STATE POUNDS 250,000

Almost pounds 250,000 belonging to the drug trafficking Felloni family is
now in the hands of the State following an order by the High Court yesterday
confiscating monies belonging to 20-year-old daughter, Regina Felloni.

Frank Cassidy of the Chief State Solicitor's office, acting on behalf of the
DPP, was made a receiver over Ms Felloni's monies, which were found in
banks, building society and post office accounts, together with sums in cash.

Three members of the family, including Regina, are serving jail sentences
for drug-related offences. Anthony, the father, is serving a 20-year
sentence; Luigi, a son, is serving a six-year sentence while Regina received
a sentence of six years and nine months.

In relation to Anthony and Luigi, the High Court last month made orders that
monies belonging to them be handed over to Mr Cassidy and deposited in a
bank, pending further court order.

It was alleged Anthony benefited from drug trafficking in the amount of
pounds 400,000 and that pounds 80,000 was recoverable. Luigi was alleged to
have benefited in the amount of pounds 75,000 and of that pounds 23,000
could be recovered.

Yesterday, Mr Justice O'Higgins made orders that Mr Cassidy be made receiver
over all monies in Ireland in the name of Regina Felloni and that it be
invested pending further orders of the court. The total amount of monies
confiscated from Regina is about pounds 140,000.

The judge also gave permission for the sale by public auction of a house in
Regina's name at Mellows Road, Finglas, together with the sale of her motor
car. The court was told that the house appeared to be in an unkempt
condition and that anything inside had been removed.

An auctioneer's valuation of the premises was given to Justice O'Higgins.
The valuation was not disclosed. It was shown to Ms Felloni who accepted it.
She agreed not to disclose the figure but requested that the premises should
not be sold prior to auction.

He agreed that Dublin Corporation could seek pounds 8,845 from the monies
once they were lodged in court. The Corporation claim relates to legal costs
it was awarded after Ms Felloni lost an injuries action she had taken
against the Corporation.

It is understood the court will be asked at a later date to make an order
that the monies be handed over to Central Funds.

An earlier court hearing was told that Regina Felloni also had pounds 69,000
sterling in bank accounts in Belfast and Britain.

Yesterday's hearing follows a four-year investigation by garda from Dublin's
north central drugs unit.