Crime « Thurles Information

Drugs – Some Destined for Tipperary – Seized At Dublin Postal Sorting Centre.

“You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool Bailey, Sam and Flynn”. – With apologies to President Abraham Lincoln

Drug parcels with street value contents estimated at some €108,000; some of which were intended for Co. Tipperary, have now been seized by Revenue officers at a Dublin Mail Centre.

Following a routine operation yesterday, some 5.3kgs of herbal cannabis, almost 270g of cannabis oil , together with butane honey oil (Latter a relatively new method of administering or ingesting cannabis, known in the trade as ‘Dabs’, ‘Shatter’, or ‘Wax Butter’ ) and 450g of cannabis edibles, (e.g. Infused Chocolate, Jelly Gummies, Nut Butter etc), were located by Revenue detector dog “Bailey”.

The seizures announced today are part of Revenue’s ongoing operations targeting the importation of illegal drugs.

The illegal drugs were located we understand in 21 separately, mailed packages that originated initially in Spain, United Kingdom and the USA.

These parcels had been declared as containing items such as ‘Pillows’, ‘Toys’, ‘Sports Shoes’, ‘Custom Stationary’ and ‘Wine Tubs’.

The parcels were destined for delivery in Tipperary, Clare, Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Clare, Kerry, Leitrim, Antrim, as well as to overseas destinations.

Further investigations are continuing.

**Heroin seized at Rosslare Europort, Co Wexford**.

Meanwhile, some 88kg of heroin, worth over €12 million, has been seized at Rosslare Europort in Co Wexford. Again Revenue officers detected the drugs yesterday afternoon, as part of an intelligence-led operation, aided by detector dogs ‘Sam’ and ‘Flynn’.

The discovery was made when a truck and low-loader trailer was stopped and searched, after it arriving into the Wexford port from mainland Europe.

Motor Vehicles, Seized In Tipperary, Represent Proceeds Of Crime.

High Court judge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens has found that 84 motor vehicles and a trailer seized in Co. Tipperary represent the proceeds of crime. The property annexed, which were seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau, remain one of the largest collections of such assets ever taken in just a single operation, since it began its operations some 25 years ago.

Mr Justice Alexander Owens made a similar finding with regards to €153,000 held in a car dealing company’s bank account in Bank of Ireland, Tralee, Co Kerry, controlled by a Lithuanian businesswoman, Agne Khan, and her brother-in-law, Jawad Khan.

Mr Justice Owens granted the bureau’s application for orders, under ‘section 3 of the Proceeds of Crime Act’, declaring the 84 vehicles, the trailer and the €153,000, as representing directly or indirectly the proceeds of crime.

From evidence presented by the Criminal Assets Bureau, the judge further concluded, that Agne Khan and her husband Khurran Khan, both of whom reside in the English west midlands, were central to large mandate frauds; while others, such as her brother-in-law, were employed in motor dealership businesses, latter used to launder the cash proceeds of same.

Mr Justice Owens stated that it was clear that the frauds have enriched the Khan family by some €3.5 million, and large elements of personal and business assets, under their control, were undoubtedly derived from fraud; the proceeds of which had been introduced into their motor dealerships both in England and Ireland.

Transactions, introducing capital from mandate frauds were used to buy vehicles which were traced to the motor dealing firm “Autology”, trading as “Autopace”, with registered offices at Unit 1, Ballywilliam, Carrigatoher, Nenagh. Khurran Khan had taken control of Autology from September 2018. Same began trading in used motor vehicles under the name Autopace. The judge further concluded that Agne Khan (latter married to Khurran Khan) and Jawad Khan (latter married to Simona Khan), controlled the ‘Autology’, bank account through Bank of Ireland, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

One other company, “SJK”, which had earlier traded from the same Tipperary address, also it was stated, did not accord with any honest or normal method of cash introduction into a business.
SJK Wholesale Ltd, was another motor dealing company controlled by the Khans, which ceased trading in late 2018 following tax irregularities which were uncovered in subsequent Revenue investigations.
It was estimated that the Khan family, in absconding from the SJK company, took with them all trading proceeds; leaving behind unpaid VAT liability to the Irish State of at least €623,000. The judge was satisfied the business affairs of SJK were controlled by Khurran Khan and a business associate.

Mr Justice Owens stated that Khurran Khan had a track record of significant criminal activity involving fraud through the control of Autology and a number of other companies and unincorporated business entities in Ireland and England.

Members of this Khan family were arrested in England back in September last and premises in England and Ireland had been searched, including the motor dealership premises at Ballywilliam, Nenagh and houses at Slate Quarry, Portroe, Tipperary and Killaloe, Co Clare.

In total, 89 vehicles and a trailer were seized here in Ireland, however five vehicles were deemed not to be associated with the Khans and were handed back to their original owners.

In 10 linked such frauds investigated under ‘Operation Brasenose’, more than €1.3 million was stolen. In another series of frauds concerning the NHS and investigated under ‘Operation Kangchenjunga’, more than €900,000 was stolen, High Court judge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens stated.

Gardaí Recovered Cocaine & Cannabis On Tipperary Waste Ground.

On Tuesday July 20th 2021, Gardaí from the Carrick on Suir and Clonmel areas responded to a report that shots had been fired on the Railway line at St. Johns, Carrick on Suir, Co. Tipperary.

Witnesses had reported seeing two men on the raiway line in possession of a firearm and that 4 shots had been discharged, using the weapon.

Gardaí later executed two search warrant issued under Section 29 of the Offences against the state act 1939, on two local addresses. During the course of these searched, a small quantity of drugs were recovered.

On Friday last, July 22nd 2021, in a follow up operation from this investigation into the unlawful discharge of a firearm in Carrick on Suir on Tuesday July 20th 2021, Garda from Carrick-On-Suir conducted a further search of wasteland adjoining the railway near St. John’s Terrace.

It was during the course of this search, assisted by Garda dog “Buddy” from the Cork Dog unit, that Gardaí recovered cocaine and cannabis with a street value of approximately €3,000, on waste ground adjacent to private houses.

One male in his late 20s has since been arrested for an offence under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977/84 and detained in Clonmel under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

The man has since been released, with a file being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Persons with any information in relation to this incident is urged to contact Clonmel Garda Station at Tel: 052 6177640.

Five Individuals Arrested Following Upperchurch Serious Assalt last June.

Five men are understood to have been arrested today, in relation to the serious assault of a teenager, on Saturday 27th June last, in the rural Village of Upperchurch, near Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Four of the men arrested are all understood to be aged in their 20s while one is aged in his teens. All are currently being detained in a number of Tipperary Garda stations.

The victim had been rushed to Cork University Hospital suffering from serious injuries.

Gardaí continue to appeal to road users, latter who may been travelling in the Upperchurch Village area between the hours of 11:00pm on Sunday June 27th and 12.30am on Monday June 28th, to make immediate contact with them, particularly if they hold dashcam or other video footage.

Any person with information can contact Thurles Garda Station Tel: 0504 25100 or the Garda Confidential Line Tel: 1800 666 111.

Two Women Out Walking Injured In Tipperary Hit-And-Run.

Gardaí continue to appeal for information, following injuries received by two women following a hit-and-run road traffic collision, same which occurred in the townland of Tinvane, Carrick-On-Suir, Co, Tipperary last night.

About 9.00pm last night two elderly women were struck by a van, while out walking. The vehicle then careered into a ditch before coming to a halt. The driver of the vehicle then hurriedly left the scene in the direction of the Piltown Road.

The two women were later taken to Waterford Hospital by ambulance to be treated for what has been described as thankfully non life-threatening injuries.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to come forward, who possibly were in the area or motoring in the townland of Tinvane, Carrick-On-Suir, at the time of the collision or prior; that can assist them with their enquiries. They particularly are appealing to motorists with may have dash camera footage to make it available to them.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Clonmel Garda Station Tel: 052-6177640, the Garda Confidential Line Tel: 1800 666 111, or indeed any Garda station.