A Mornington man who agreed to transport thousands of euro in criminal cash from a village in Louth because he had a drug debt has had been jailed for two years.
Michael Greene (46) of Seabury Lawns, in the coastal village, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to money laundering of €104,720 in cash at a place in Swords, Co Dublin on October 1, 2021.
The court heard how Greene was caught after he met another man who was under Garda surveillance in Knockbridge county Louth and took a bag containing the money from that individual
Under questioning he told Gardaí he had a chronic coke addiction and had built up a drug debt. He said while he was now clean, there was money outstanding and that some of the debt was to be scratched off in return for his participation in this operation.
He said he was to receive €500 for his role and that he was afraid of the people he owed money to, saying “the whole reason I am in this mess is because I’m terrified of them.”
Judge Pauline Codd said that the amount of money was significant and while Greene was acting merely as “a foot soldier”, criminal organisations needed foot soldiers to operate.
She noted evidence that Greene was “highly psychologically vulnerable” at the time and was in fear for his life over drug debts. She suspended the final year of a three-year prison term on condition that Greene keep the peace and be of good behaviour.
