Man searched in Cork city and roll of €50 notes found tucked into duvet cover 

GARDAÍ carrying out a search of a Dubliner in Cork saw a bundle of €50 notes fall out of a duvet cover in a Penney’s bag, and it turned out that it was money he had collected on a heroin debt.

Now Paul Geraghty, of 23 Swan Grove, Ranealagh, Dublin, faces sentencing for money-laundering over €3,000 by attempting to conceal the proceeds of illegal activities.

Detective Garda Robert Kennedy described 36-year-old Paul Geraghty as “a convicted drug-dealer heavily involved in dealing heroin in Cork”.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, when Garda Conor Cronin and Garda Noel Harrington were on plainclothes duty at the bus station on Parnell Place. They saw a man making his way to the Dublin bus, but before he stepped on to the bus, gardaí identified themselves to Paul Geraghty.

Det Garda Kennedy testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that Geraghty “was nervous and agitated and carrying a Penney’s shopping bag. Because of his nervous behaviour he was informed he was going to be searched.

“He had over €2,000 in cash in his jacket and shorts pockets. He refused permission to search him. He was handcuffed and brought to the Bridwell garda station.

“During the search of the Penney’s bag, the duvet cover set was removed from the back and as it was opened a roll of €50 notes in two hairbands fell out on the floor.”

CCTV was then harvested which tracked the Dubliner’s movements from the moment of his arrival in Cork. He went to Penney’s on Patrick St and bought some bedroom clothing and child’s pyjamas.

He travelled by taxi to Cork University Hospital and then to Blackpool Shopping Centre where he went to Woodie’s. CCTV at the DIY store showed him meeting a known, convicted drug dealer from Cork.

They walked around the store and interactions between them were seen.

Later he got a Toyota Rav taxi to the bus station where gardaí approached him. He told them he was in Cork to visit someone at CUH.

His phone was seized and examined. One text sent by him the previous day stated: “Do your best for tomorrow. I will give you extra time.” In another text, he wrote: “I don’t have much. I’ll go for 200 grams of ted there.”

Interviewed on six occasions following his arrest, Geraghty replied “no comment” to most of the questions asked.

Paula McCarthy, defence barrister, said: “He exercised his right to silence but ultimately he came forward on a signed plea of guilty.

“He had addiction issues. He is motivated to attend the Probation Service. He was collecting a drug debt — he was being paid for his role in that. 

"That has not been contradicted by the evidence.”

Donal O’Sullivan, prosecuting, said the State was concerned about the defendant’s lack of follow-through with the Probation Service, which put him at high risk of reoffending.

Judge Helen Boyle noted the plea of guilty to the charge which stated that on Tuesday, October 5, at the Bridewell Garda Station, in relation to property that is the proceeds of criminal conduct, namely €3,315, he was involved in concealing or disguising the true nature, source, location, disposition, movement or ownership of the property, contrary to Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.

Judge Boyle said: “You were collecting money from heroin users – collecting a drug debt. This conduct was intended to assist a criminal organisation. [The evidence is] that you were heavily involved in the sale or supply and collecting money from a heroin dealer.”

The judge acceded to a defence application to adjourn sentencing until June 19 for the defendant to put in place certain arrangements for minding a relative but added: “I will be imposing a custodial sentence.”