Almost €14 million has been stolen in cash-in-transit robberies in the past four years, it has emerged. Figures released to Labour's justice spokesman Brendan Howlin also reveal that criminal proceedings were begun in respect of 10 per cent of the robberies.
Mr Howlin said the figures were shocking and raised serious questions for the cash-in-transit industry and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell.
"The likelihood is that much of this money was used to finance the importation of drugs and arms, further boosting the coffers of the drug gangs and facilitating their destructive wars," he said.
The figures, obtained in a reply to a Dáil question, revealed that since 2002 there had been 237 recorded robberies of cash in transit with a total of €13,630,381 taken. He was concerned that proceedings were commenced in so few cases. Of the 237 recorded cases, Mr McDowell claims that 53 were "detected", but proceedings started in just 22 cases, Mr Howlin said.
