Four people have appeared in court in Letterkenny charged with money-laundering arising out of alleged drug dealing in the town.
The quartet were before Letterkenny District Court this week for additional charges following a string raids in late 2022 as part of a clampdown on drug activity.
The four who appeared were: Priscilla Connors, a 25-year-old of Ballymacool Wood, Letterkenny; Michael Connors, a 20-year-old of Ballymacool Wood, Letterkenny; Noreen Connors, a 20-year-old woman from Ballymacool Wood, Letterkenny; and Susan Orr, aged 43 and with an address at Ballymacool Wood, Letterkenny.
They were previously charged under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act for having possession of drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying to another.
This week, a total of fourteen further charges were proffered across the four accused.
Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed that they be sent forward for trial.
Sergeant Collins gave evidence of further charging each of the four at Letterkenny courthouse on Tuesday afternoon.
Priscilla Connors, was charged with eight further offences.
Connors was charged with having control of a Volkswagen Golf and knowingly permitting the sale, supply or distribution of a controlled drug from the vehicle.
She is also charged with, on a different date, having control of an Audi A4 and knowingly permitting the sale, supply or distribution of a controlled drug from the vehicle.
Connors faces four separate charges of, on various dates, transferring, handling, or acquiring property, the proceeds of criminal conduct while knowing that, believing that or being reckless to whether or not the said property was the proceeds of criminal conduct.
These charges relate to a Credit Union account and relate to dates from September 6, 2018-December 31, 2018, January 1, 2019-December 31, 2019, January 1, 2020-December 31, 2020 and January 1, 2021-March 3, 2021.
The charges are contrary to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.
Connors was also charged with two counts of committing an offense under Section 21 (1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977 by aiding an offense under Section 15 of the same act, which related to the possession of a controlled drug for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying it.
Michael Connors was charged with having control of a Volkswagen Passat and knowingly permitting the sale, supply or distribution of a controlled drug from the vehicle on January 27, 2022. He was also charged with committing an offense under Section 21 (1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977 by aiding an offense under Section 15 of the same act, which related to the possession of a controlled drug for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying it.
Noreen Connors was charged with engaging in the transferring, handling, or acquiring property, the proceeds of criminal conduct while knowing that, believing that or being reckless to whether to not the said property, monies credited to an AIB account, was the proceeds of criminal conduct.
Orr, aged 43 and with an address at Ballymacool Wood, Letterkenny was charged with three separate charged of, on various dates, transferring, handling, or acquiring property, the proceeds of criminal conduct while knowing that, believing that or being reckless to whether to not the said property was the proceeds of criminal conduct.
These charges relate to monies in an Ulster Bank account and relate to alleged offences on dates between June 8, 2018-June 7, 2019, June 8, 2019-June 7, 2020 and June 8, 2020 and November 5, 2021.
Legal aid was assigned to solicitor Mr Rory O’Brien, who represents each of the accused.
None of the defendants replied when cautioned after being charged, the court heard.
Judge Éiteáin Cunningham adjourned the cases until July 3 when books of evidence will be served.
They were initially arrested on December 6, 2022 when uniformed Gardai and detectives carried out raids as part of Operation Tara, a Garda operation aimed at clamping down on illegal drug activity
Current bail was extended to cover the new charges. Previously, they had to surrender their passports and must now sign on three times a week at Letterkenny Garda station.
A fifth accused, Martin McCarthy, of Castleshanaghan, Letterkenny, was also due before court on Tuesday. However, the court heard he was unwell and his case was adjourned until June 6, 2023 with McCarthy to be present in court on that date.