Two to face court on IRA money charges
Two men are to appear in court today following a three-year investigation into alleged IRA money laundering.
The pair, aged 40 and 60, were arrested in Cork as part of the long-running cross-border investigation into the £26.5m (€33.7m) Northern Bank robbery in Belfast in December 2004.
They are expected to appear at Cork District Court charged with firearms and money laundering offences.
During a series of searches in February 2005 to smash the alleged IRA dirty money ring, €3.3m was found in a house in Co Cork, €90,000 in a car boot at Dublin's Heuston Station and €70,000 in other raids in Cork.
A series of arrests were also made including Tom Hanlon, who stood as a Sinn Féin candidate in Cork, and financial adviser Ted Cunningham, who was detained after huge sums of money were found at his home. Both men were released without charge.
At least five other men were taken in for questioning during the massive garda investigation.
A garda spokesman confirmed the two men would be facing separate charges, with only one charged with money laundering.
“These charges arise out of an investigation carried out by gardaí in Cork following the robbery of the Northern Bank,” the spokesman said.
“As part of the same investigation, a second man will also appear in court this morning charged with possession of ammunition.”
