Ireland Man charged over €9.7m drugs and €1.1m cash seizure in Dublin and Meath
On the evening of Friday 19 July 2024, Gardaí searched a property in Dublin under warrant and seized suspected drugs and cash, and a man in his 50s was arrested. Reports gave the drug value as over €8m, almost €9.7m or about €9.6m, and the cash as €1m or over €1.1m, with most of the drugs found in a container at Woodfield, Ballymacarney, Co Meath. Andrew Pender, 51, was charged with money laundering, a Misuse of Drugs Act offence and possession of a stolen Garda uniform. On 22 July 2024 at Blanchardstown District Court he pleaded not guilty and was refused bail, and the judge remanded him in custody to appear by video-link before Cloverhill District Court on Friday.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested19 Jul
3 reports - Charged19 Jul
- In court22 Jul
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Gardaí seized suspected illegal drugs and cash in a search under warrant, and one man was arrested.
- The drug value was reported as over €8m, then as almost €9.7m, then as about €9.6m, and the cash as €1m, then over €1.1m.
- The suspected drugs included cocaine valued at €4.48m, MDMA at €1.8m, ketamine at €1.74m, cannabis at €1.46m and LSD at €120,000.
- Where
- The search was at a residence in The Ward, Dublin 11, but Irish Times reports most of the drugs were found in a container at Woodfield, Ballymacarney, The Ward, Co Meath.
- When
- The search took place on the evening of Friday 19 July 2024.
- Investigation
- The operation was intelligence-led, carried out by the Dublin Crime Response Team, and a search warrant was obtained for the property.
- The suspected drugs were sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis, and further searches across the Dublin Metropolitan Region seized more cash, vehicles and designer goods.
- Mr Pender was stopped in his vehicle on Finglas Road, north Dublin, where a search found cocaine and €9,000 in cash.
- The arrested man was detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, at a Garda station in the Dublin area, and could be held for up to a week.
- Charges
- Andrew Pender, 51, faces two charges relating to alleged money laundering and a charge relating to a stolen Garda uniform found during the search.
- The remaining charges, against Mr Pender, are under the Misuse of Drugs Act and relate to different consignments and types of drugs.
- In court
- At Blanchardstown District Court on 22 July 2024, Mr Pender pleaded not guilty to each charge and was refused bail.
- Gardaí said Mr Pender presented an immediate flight risk, and the judge described him as a significant flight risk.
- The judge remanded Mr Pender in custody to appear by video-link before Cloverhill District Court on Friday.
46 statements extracted from the articles
- whatGardaí seized over €8,000,000 of suspected illegal drugs and €1,000,000 cash. (garda.ie)
- whatOne man was arrested. (garda.ie)
- whatThe suspected drugs seized included cocaine, cannabis, ketamine, LSD and MDMA. (garda.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whatFurther cash, vehicles and designer goods were seized in follow-up searches across the Dublin Metropolitan Region. (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whatGardaí seized over €8 million of suspected illegal drugs and €1 million in cash. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCocaine, cannabis, ketamine, LSD and MDMA were among the drugs seized. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMore than €8 million in suspected illegal drugs and €1 million in cash were seized. (irishtimes.com)
- whatDrugs valued at almost €9.7 million and €1.1 million in cash were seized during a Garda operation in Dublin and Meath. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe drugs seized included cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, cannabis and LSD. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe drugs were seized in Dublin 11. (garda.ie)
- whereThe search was carried out at a residence in The Ward, Dublin 11. (garda.ie)
- whereThe search was conducted under warrant at a residence in The Ward, Dublin 11. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe search took place at a residence in The Ward, Dublin 11. (irishtimes.com)
- whereMost of the drugs were found in a container at Woodfield, Ballymacarney, The Ward, Co Meath. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe drugs were seized on the Friday evening. (garda.ie)
- whenThe search took place on the evening of Friday 19 July 2024. (garda.ie)
- whenThe seizure took place on Friday evening. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe Garda operation took place on the Friday before the court appearance. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe search was carried out under warrant as an intelligence-led operation by the Dublin Crime Response Team. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe suspected drugs will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis. (garda.ie, irishtimes.com)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- investigationA man in his 50s was arrested as a result of the seizure. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe drugs will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe operation was intelligence-led and conducted by the Dublin Crime Response Team. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA search warrant was obtained for the property. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationMr Pender was stopped in his vehicle on Finglas Road, north Dublin, and a search of the car found cocaine and €9,000 in cash. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí said further charges were likely after the drugs were tested by Forensic Science Ireland. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeA man in his 50s has been charged. (garda.ie)
- chargeMr Pender faces two charges relating to alleged money laundering. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeMr Pender is also charged over a stolen Garda uniform found in a barrel during the search. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe remaining charges are under the Misuse of Drugs Act. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe man is due before Blanchardstown District Court on 22 July 2024. (garda.ie)
- courtMr Pender was refused bail at Blanchardstown District Court. (irishtimes.com)
- courtGardaí said Mr Pender presented an immediate flight risk and the judge described him as a significant flight risk. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge remanded Mr Pender in custody to appear by video-link before Cloverhill District Court on Friday. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe suspected drugs are estimated to be worth about €9.6m. (garda.ie)
- otherThe cash seized is valued at over €1.1m. (garda.ie)
- otherThe arrested man was detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, at a Garda station in the Dublin area. (garda.ie)
- otherGardaí said the seizure is a major blow to an organised crime group. (garda.ie)
- otherAssistant Commissioner Angela Willis described the seizure as a major blow to an organised crime group. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe arrested man is being detained at a Garda station in the Dublin area. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe man is held at a Garda station in the Dublin area under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe can be held for up to a week. (irishtimes.com)
- otherA senior Garda described the seizure as a major blow to an organised crime group. (irishtimes.com)
- otherMr Pender pleaded not guilty to each of the charges put to him. (irishtimes.com)
- otherMr Pender claimed he found the key to the container in Co Meath, had it copied and was skimming drugs for personal use. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 22 Jul2024Man (50s) appears in court following seizure of drugs worth more than €9m and €1m in cash
Reports that Andrew Pender was refused bail at Blanchardstown District Court, remanded in custody, and details of the charges, drug values, the Meath container search and the bail hearing evidence.
accused, Andrew Pender, 51, male, named, irish (judged from name)Andrew Pender - 20 Jul2024More than €8m worth of cocaine, cannabis, LSD and MDMA seized after Dublin search
Adds the Irish Times account of the search at a residence in The Ward, Dublin 11: the figures of more than €8m in drugs and €1m in cash, the Dublin Crime Response Team operation, the man's arrest under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, and follow-up searches across the Dublin Metropolitan Region.
suspect, male - 20 Jul2024Gardaí seize over €8m of illegal drugs and €1m in cash in major search operation
Early report of the arrest, with the drugs valued at over €8m and cash at €1m. Lists cocaine, cannabis, ketamine, LSD and MDMA among the drugs. Adds follow-up searches across the Dublin Metropolitan Region and a comment from Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis. Does not mention Meath or a charge.
suspect, 50s, male - 19 Jul2024Over €8,000,000 Drugs and €1,000,000 Cash Seized and Man Arrested, The Ward, Dublin 11, 19th July 2024
Garda press release on the arrest and seizure, with no names. It gives a lower drug value (over €8m) and cash figure (€1m) than the existing case (€9.7m and €1.1m), and places the search in The Ward rather than Dublin and Meath. It adds the drug types, the DCRT-led operation, the Section 2 detention, follow-up searches and a statement from Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis.
suspect, 50s, male - 19 Jul2024Update - Over €8,000,000 Drugs and €1,000,000 Cash Seized and Man Arrested, The Ward, Dublin 11, 19th July 2024
Gardaí revised the estimated value of the drugs to about €9.6m (previously €9.7m) and gave the cash as over €1.1m. The article says the man in his 50s has been charged and is due before Blanchardstown District Court on 22 July 2024. It does not name him.
accused, 50s, male