The Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) intends to focus on young drug dealers in an effort to confiscate their assets before they have an opportunity to become established, the new head of the agency has said.
In his first interview since taking up his new position 10 months ago, Det Chief Supt John O'Mahoney also said it was only a matter of time before ruthless foreign national groups began operating here.
There was no evidence that such gangs were already engaged in organised crime in the Republic, but "it's something we have to keep on the radar. We've no doubt that if trends follow as elsewhere in the EU this will happen and we need to be conscious of it."
He said criminal gangs were more expert than ever at hiding their wealth from Cab. The bureau was responding by hiring financial analysts who were experts in tracking money which criminals were trying to launder by moving it through a number of financial and investment vehicles.
"Nothing will ever replace the old-fashioned detective work that we have always done but these [ staff] bring the ability to examine the increasingly complex paper trails around money laundering," he said. "They also have the added value to us of being able to give expert witness testimony during cases. That's very important. It's a very significant legal benefit to us."
In tackling young drug dealers, the bureau is currently training additional asset-profilers in the regions. These will monitor young criminals who are seen to be acquiring assets such as expensive vehicles or rental properties.
The profilers will feed the information into the bureau's head office in Dublin. Profilers in Dublin, Donegal and Mayo have recently undergone training.
The bureau has recently confiscated a BMW from a drug dealer whose partner was driving the car while he was in prison. It was regarded as a test case and will be used as a template in investigations.
Traditionally, relatively small assets were not pursued. "The rewards would be smaller and it takes as much effort as a bigger case but it's something we have definitely decided to do," he said
"It's about more than the money, it's about the perception that we are trying to send out that it won't be tolerated and we will go after you, even if it is for one jeep or a BMW."
The bureau currently has 200 live cases. The largest involves the contentiously rezoned Jackson Way lands in Carrickmines, south Dublin. It is alleged the lands increased in value by €53 million following planning corruption. The monies have now been frozen.
Mr O'Mahoney said the case may not be the only one the bureau will pursue arising from the tribunals.
Mr O'Mahoney took over as head of Cab last year from retired Det Chief Supt Felix McKenna.