Pubdate: Fri, 12 May 2000 Source: Irish Examiner (Ireland) Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2000 Contact: http://www.examiner.ie/ JUDGE ORDERS DRUGS GANG TO FORFEIT CASH AFTER CUSTOMS SEIZURE A major international operation by Irish Custom and Excise officers has culminated in an order by Judge Elizabeth Dunne at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the forfeiture by an Irish drugs gang of pounds 52,105 sterling which was seized in 1998. Judge Dunne granted the application by the Director of Public Prosecutions for the forfeiture of the money which was seized on March 9, 1998 by Customs and Excise officer Roisin Wiseman at Dublin Airport from a man named Stephen Paul Newman who had just been booked on a flight to London. Mr Newman, a 31 year old English man, had been subjected to several days' surveillance by personnel from the Customs and Excise drugs team which had confidential information of his planned arrival. His Amsterdam Dublin flight had been diverted to Shannon Airport where his arrival was observed by customs' officers Michael McGill and Flannan Quinlavan. He travelled to Dublin by bus on which one of his fellow passengers was Mr McGill who also monitored his movements in the city along with his colleague Finbar O'Leary, using separate cars which were in radio contact. Mr Newman booked into Buswell's Hotel where he remained for almost three days before being driven to Dublin Airport by Belfast used car salesman Mr Kevin McAlorum. Mr McAlorum handed over the Stg pounds 52,105 to Mr Newman wrapped in plastic in side a holdall and he also bought a single ticket for Mr Newman to travel to London. Mr O'Leary, a Customs and Excise assistant principal officer, told Judge Dunne that Mr Newman left the unused return portion of his original ticket be hind him in room 215 at Buswell's Hotel. This ticket was bought by a Mr Paul Lowry for Mr Newman who telephoned a warehouse in Amsterdam rented by Mr Lowry. The warehouse owner identified photographs of two Belfast men, Liam "Fatboy" Mooney, of Loughby Road, Carryduff, and Stephen Smith of Falls Road. Mr Newman denied he knew any of these men. - --- MAP posted-by: Allan Wilkinson