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Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland
Limerick

Six people charged following Limerick searches

The six people were arrested following a major operation in the city this morning.

Six people have appeared in court charged in connection to a largescale search operation in Limerick city.

Five of those who appeared before Limerick District Court this afternoon were charged with knowingly possessing money, linked to the proceeds of crime.

More than 300 Limerick Gardai, supported by national units, as well as members of the Defence Forces, Revenue and Customs, carried out searches on homes, businesses, and lands, in the city this morning.

The gardaí allegedly seized €357,000 in cash and monies in financial accounts during Operation Coronation.

Twelve people were arrested for suspected money laundering offences, drugs offences, possession of an offensive weapon, and breaches of the Control of Horses Act, 1996.

Five of the 12, were charged before Limerick District Court, under the Criminal Justice Money Laundering & Terrorist Finance Act, 2020.

Limerick native, Paul Collopy, 46, with an address at Gordon Drive, Cloughleigh, Ennis, Co Clare, was remanded in custody on a charge of knowingly possessing €20,575 cash proceeds of crime, on 5 March, 2020.

Nicole Williams, 29, of Clonard, Westbury, Co Clare, was remanded on bail on one count of knowingly handling/acquiring/possessing/using the proceeds of crime to the value of €71,340, on 16 August, 2020.

Williams was also charged with one count of possession a canister of pepper spray on the same date, contrary to Section 2 of the Firearms Act.

Heather McNamara, 38, of Childers Road, Cloughleigh, Ennis, Co Clare, was remanded on bail, on one count of knowingly possessing €20,575 cash proceeds of crime, at an address at Cliona Park, Moyross, Limerick, on 5 March, 2020.

Leeann Carey, 41, and Patrick Moloney, 40, both with the same address, at Sean Houston Place, Garryowen, Limerick, were each remanded on bail on a charge of knowingly possessing €32,090 cash proceeds of crime, on a date in January 2021, at their home address.

Moloney was further charged with knowingly possessing €2,340 cash, on the same date, at the same address.

A sixth man who was arrested as part of Operation Coronation, John McCarthy, 50, with an address at Cliona Park, Moyross, Limerick, was remanded on bail to 17 November on charges of keeping two horses in contravention of local authority bylaws, and keeping two unlicensed horses, on 7 September, 2021.