A Garda investigation is under way in Dublin after a substantial amount of cash seized in a drugs raid disappeared from a Garda station. Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy has ordered an investigation into the incident at Fitzgibbon Street station.
"We can confirm the disappearance of a sum of money in Fitzgibbon Street and there is an investigation ongoing in relation to that," a Garda spokesman said.
It is understood the cash - amounting to tens of thousands of euro - was seized in a drugs raid in 2003, but its disappearance only came to light this week.
Labour Party justice spokesman Joe Costello called for a review of Garda procedures for storing evidence and cash seized from suspects.
"This is not a bicycle going astray; it is a huge sum of money," he said referring to one report that the sum involved could be €40,000.
"We do not know if the money was stolen or simply lost, but I think that members of the public will regard it as extraordinary that there are not water-tight procedures for the secure storage of such sums of money."
Mr Costello said a firearm, flak jacket and a quantity of drugs also went missing at Fitzgibbon Street in August 2003. This was not confirmed by gardaí.
"I believe that there should be a single designated officer in each Garda station who would have overall responsibility for the security of items of evidence or cash seizures," Mr Costello added. "This would appear to be the only way to prevent a recurrence of the Fitzgibbon Street incident."