APPROXIMATELY €500,000 IN cash, along with a vacuum packing machine and documentation, have been recovered by gardaí in Dublin as part of a money laundering investigation.

A woman in her 40s was arrested in the Dublin 2 area for an alleged offence contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act, which relates to assisting a criminal group.

It was part of an ongoing investigation targeting organised crime in the region by officers from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB).

The woman is currently detained at a Garda Station in the Dublin Region and gardaí are permitted to detain her for a maximum of seven days.

Following the operation, Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly, head of Serious and Organised Crime, stated that the seizure was a “significant blow to an organised criminal group” by gardaí.

He said it would assist in “disrupting criminal networks” and preventing money laundering.

“The seizure of substantial quantities of cash is a priority for the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Unit (GNDOCB), as cash often underpins and enables the activities of criminal organisations,” Kelly said.