Gardaí investigating the disappearance of a Lithuanian man are to use sniffer dogs to carry out a search of an area in east Cork today, as fears continue to grow for the man's safety.
Gardaí have drafted in search dogs from Dublin and farther afield to help them search an area near Glanmire for Raimundas Berzinskas (33). He has been missing from his home at St Finbarr's Place, Proby's Quay, Cork, since December 15th.
It is understood that the dogs and their police handlers arrived in Cork last night and will be brought to the Blossomgrove area of Glanmire today, where they will look for Mr Berzinskas.
Gardaí believe that Mr Berzinskas travelled with a friend to a location near Glanmire around December 15th to meet two other men and that his friend left him in their company.
That is the last known sighting of him.
Initially, gardaí thought the last sighting of Mr Berzinskas was near the Fás office on Sullivan's Quay in Cork in the early hours of December 16th, but following further investigation, they believe this sighting may have been a day earlier.
According to one Garda source, gardaí have spoken to associates of Mr Berzinskas who met him in the Glanmire area about that time and it is on foot of information received during these interviews that the search is being carried out today.
Senior Garda sources say they cannot rule out that he may have been the victim of foul play.
Mr Berzinskas was on bail at the time of his disappearance after being charged early last year with the manslaughter of a fellow Lithuanian, Gintaras Balcionas (38), at Rockgrove Terrace, Lower Glanmire Road, on October 9th, 2005.
However, gardaí do not believe that Mr Berzinskas's disappearance is linked in any way to the death of Mr Gintaras.
Mr Berzinskas is described as being 188cm (6ft 2in), of strong build and with blond hair. When last seen, he was wearing a dark green waist-length jacket, black trousers, black shoes and a black hooded top with grey writing on it.
