5 appear in court over ‘sophisticated criminal enterprise’ in Armagh
The charges are all linked back to two police operations within a couple of months in 2016, in which over half a million pounds of euro and sterling combined was seized, along with several high value luxury watches.
Last updated 17th Apr 2018
Darren Donnelly, a 33 year old from Roscavey Road in Beragh Co Tyrone admitted possession of criminal property on August 17th 2016.
That was just shy of 225 thousand pounds and around 225 thousand euros found in sealed packages when police stopped the lorry he was driving.
Next to be charged was Conor Toal, aged 32 and with an address at 2 Mullacreevie Park in Armagh.
The court heard he had no discernible method of income, given that he’s charged with transferring the large amounts of money found in that lorry on the same date.
He also admitted possessing criminal property in three luxury watches, along with newly 4 thousand 700 pounds in Cash, alongside a further charge of concealing criminal property, namely 79 thousand pounds in cash.
Joseph Despard pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property, this time around 10 thousand pounds on July 13th, as well as 91 counterfeit pounds coins.
The 40 year old lives at 12 Salters Grange Road in the city.
Eugene Thomas admitted to transferring criminal property, that same amount of just over 10 thousand pounds on July 13th, as well as to two charges of possessing criminal property.
The concerned two Rolex watches and a Raymond Weil one, as well as 103 thousand pounds in Cash.
The 33 year old had an address at 12 Callan Creecent in the city, alongside his 57 year old mother Mary.
She pleaded guilty to a charge of concealing two Rolex watches found in a wardrobe in her house on the 13th of July.
Today’s court was a sitting of Newry Crown Court in Belfast, with all five set to be sentenced on the 4th of May.