More than £16 million in cash or property believed to be the proceeds of crime was demanded or seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) last year, according to its annual report.
The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, yesterday stressed the importance of the CAB in the fight against crime. "The successes of the bureau since its inception underline its key role in the fight against drug-trafficking and organised crime," he said.
In 1999 interim and interlocutory orders were obtained under the Proceeds of Crime Act on property with a value of £1,500,000 and £813,659, respectively. Tax and interest of £13,454,013 was demanded, and social welfare determinations and savings amounted to £596,729.
Various methods are adopted by the CAB, including the "freezing" of property under the Proceeds of Crime Act, 1996, the application of the Revenue Acts, and blocking payment of social welfare benefits, under the Social Welfare Acts. Some £16,364,401 was either demanded or seized by the bureau in 1999.
Some 121 search warrants and 164 court orders were also obtained and used by the CAB in 1999. During the execution of one warrant, a consignment of spirits valued at over £350,000 was seized. The CAB was formed in October 1996 with the primary aim of combating major drug-traffickers. The 45-strong unit, based at Harcourt Square in Dublin, can be granted the power by the courts to confiscate, freeze, restrain the use of or seize assets suspected of deriving from criminal activity.
Since its inception, the CAB has: frozen assets to the value of £13 million, under the Proceeds of Crime Act; demanded over £32 million in tax payments; and saved almost £1.5 million in social welfare payments.
A majority of the actions taken are against suspected drug-traffickers. However, cases have also been launched against those suspected of involvement in illegal animal growth-promoters, fraud, living on immoral earnings, corruption, receiving stolen property, aggravated burglaries, murder and tax fraud.
The head of the CAB, Chief Supt Felix McKenna, said a number of those taken to court by the bureau had appealed decisions, undeterred by the huge cost of the legal services involved.
"I am pleased to report that the relevant legislation and the procedures adopted to enforce this legislation have withstood the legal and constitutional challenges," he said.
"A number of these decisions are under appeal to the Supreme Court but have not yet been allocated a date for hearing." The report states that while defendants should be provided with legal counsel, the granting of legal aid should be confined to those who cannot genuinely afford to pay the costs involved.
According to Chief Supt McKenna, the CAB has become increasingly involved in inter national operations.
"Information was received and exchanged with agencies from other jurisdictions and the bureau was pleased to liase with other law enforcement bodies, including police, customs and excise, the FBI, Europol and Interpol," he said.
The report notes that in the era of digital communications, vast sums of money can be transferred across borders almost instantly and change hands at a moment's notice, while remaining available to the originator.
It also points to an increased awareness of money-laundering among financial and commercial institutions in Ireland. An increasing number of disclosures were being made to the Money Laundering Investigation Unit of the Garda Fraud Squad, the CAB report says.
In 1999 the bureau focused its efforts on figures such as the former Dublin city and county manager, Mr George Redmond, Mr Jeremiah O'Driscoll, and Mr Gerard Hutch, the Dublin man known as "The Monk".
As the report notes, the CAB adopts a multi-agency approach, drawing on the work of the Garda, Customs and Excise enforcement and administration branches, the office of the Chief Inspector of Taxes and the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.