Portlaoise man remanded in custody as €1.2 million in cash forfeited to the State

A Laois man was remanded in custody as €1,203,555 in cash was forfeited to the State at a sitting of Portlaoise Circuit Court.

A jury found Portlaoise man Eugene Doyle (51) of Ardan Glas, Mountrath Road, Portlaoise, guilty of money laundering following a trial at Portlaoise Circuit Court earlier this month. 

William Fennelly BL said a van had been stopped between Junction 14 and Junction 15 at Ballybrittas on January 8, 2021. The cash was discovered during a search of the van and the driver was arrested. 

Detective Garda Sgt Mary Moore of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau said the cash had been vacuum packed. 

“There was figures written on the vacuum packs as well,” she said. In total, Det Moore said there were 24 packages containing €1,203,555. A phone was also recovered from the van. 

Mr Fennelly said the driver of the van worked for Glenbrook Logistics, a company owned by Mr Doyle. He said the driver had gone to a filling station at Togher and parked up shortly before 6am. He bought a coffee and walked around the station as another vehicle arrived and left a short time later. The driver then returned to his van and drove away. 

Mr Fennelly said text messages between the driver and Mr Doyle showed Mr Doyle asking “well bud?” at 5.52am. “Well bud. Here now,” the driver texted in reply. “Does he know this yoke?” the driver then asked. “Yes he does,” replied Mr Doyle. 

Mr Fennelly said the second vehicle had arrived and the cash was transferred into the unlocked van belonging to Glenbrook Logistics. 

When arrested and interviewed, Det Moore said Mr Doyle had claimed he had no idea why the driver was at the filling station in Togher.  When the texts were put to him, she said, “he believed we interpreted the messages incorrectly”. 

Mr Fennelly said the driver pleaded guilty and was given a three years suspended sentence which was backdated to the time of his arrest. He said he had spent between four and six months in custody in relation to the offence. 

Det Moore said the cash had been counted and labelled and "pre-prepared and ready to go” and she described the operation as a “high level money laundering cell of an organised crime gang”.  

In relation to Mr Doyle, she said, “he would have been high up the food chain” and he was using his logistics company to coordinate the operation. 

Damian Colgan SC said there had been a number of searches including at the defendant’s home following the seizure. He said €10,000 was found which he believed was from the family business. He asked that this be returned to Mr Doyle’s family. 

He produced a letter from the accused who he said “fully accepts responsibility for his actions”. He said the man had no previous convictions except one for having no road tax. He said the defendant had a history of road traffic accidents and has an injury to his back. 

Mr Colgan said the logistics company had been in business for three years but his client rented the premises and his home and had no real assets. 

“He was born here in Portlaoise, lived all his life in Portlaoise,” said Mr Colgan. He said the man had left school at 16 and worked at various jobs. 

“Despite what the guards say about him, there doesn’t seem to be any trappings of wealth,” said Mr Colgan. 

He produced a letter from the man’s wife and said the incident will have a knock on effect on his family.  He again asked that the €10,000 be released to the man’s family. The court was told there was no objection. Mr Colgan also said his client had medical difficulties and walks with a stick.   

Judge Keenan Johnson asked why the man had become involved in the operation. 

Mr Colgan said he didn’t know but suggested “outside influence” and said his client was a hard working man who “got involved over his head”. He asked the judge to consider suspending some of the sentence.  “I am asking the court to be as lenient as possible,” he added. 

Judge Johnson said it was a serious offence which certainly ranked at the upper end of the scale. 

“The conviction has an automatic custodial sentence so I will remand the accused in custody,” he said. 

Judge Johnson said he would finalise sentencing at Mullingar Circuit Court on May 15.  He ordered the forfeiture of the cash.