A man and woman appeared before an out-of-term sitting of the Special Criminal Court on Friday afternoon charged with money laundering offences, in what gardaí have called a “significant development” in an ongoing operation against organised crime in Co Limerick.
Dermot McManus (51) and Terese Halpin (49) were both arrested last night when gardaí executed a warrant at their home address at Keating Park, Killalee, Co Limerick.
Mr McManus is charged with handling sums of cash worth €28,550 and £17,240, knowing or believing or being reckless as to whether it was the proceeds of criminal conduct on June 17th, 2020, and allowing an account at the Limerick and District Credit Union to be used for the purposes of handling the proceeds of crime on the same date.
He is further charged with possession of a stolen blue Ford transit van with a 161-L registration between August 10th, 2019 and June 12th, 2020; and with handling a white 151-C Mercedes Sprinter between June 2nd 2020 and May 23rd 2021.
Ms Halpin is charged with possession of the same cash sums on June 17th last year, and allowing a Permanent TSB account to be used for handling the proceeds of crime between January 17th 2019 and June 10th, 2020.
Arrest
Garda Enda Farrell told State Solicitor Michael O'Donovan that he arrested Ms Halpin yesterday evening at her home address on foot of a warrant. He said he handed her a copy of the charge sheet in the Criminal Courts of Justice building in Dublin, shortly before this afternoon's (FRI) hearing.
Garda John Sheahan subsequently told Mr O’Donovan he had arrested Mr McManus at the same time and place before also handing him the charge sheet in the CCJ today.
The three-judge court heard that neither accused made any response to their arrest or caution.
Mr Mark Thompson BL, representing both accused said he was reserving his position.
Dermot McManus, who wore a navy blue and orange soft-shell jacket and red tartan face mask, was remanded in custody pending a bail hearing on Tuesday January 11th.
Bail was granted for Ms Halpin, who appeared in court wearing a black puffa jacket and a blue medical face mask.
She entered into a bond and undertook to surrender her passport, provide gardaí with her phone number and sign on from Monday to Friday at a local garda station.
She is to appear before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin again on Friday February 18th, at 10.30am.
On September 7th last year, gardaí carried out 65 raids in Limerick as part of “Operation Coronation”, which involved soldiers, detectives, customs officers and over 300 local gardaí and led to the arrest of 12 people.