Mayo man faces money laundering and drugs charges
The defendants appeared before Castlebar District Court.
An Achill man has appeared before Castlebar District Court charged with money laundering and drugs offences after a Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau operation on the island.
Daniel Cafferkey, Shore Road, Cashel, Achill, faces 11 charges in total - five counts of money laundering, two counts of possession of cannabis for sale or supply, three counts of possession of cannabis for his own use, and one count of unlawful use of a computer.
The court heard the accused was arrested after gardaí from the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau carried out planned searches at two residential properties in Achill on October 8 last.
He was initially charged with one count of money laundering and one count of possession of cannabis, before further charges were brought against him at the district court in Castlebar last Wednesday.
Detective Garda David Whyte of the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau told Judge Michael Connellan that the accused made no reply after caution.
The most significant of the money laundering charges relates to an allegation that between September 4, 2019 and May 2, 2024, the accused engaged in the transfer and possession of Bitcoin worth €97,214.86 at Shore Road, Cashel, Achill, while knowing it to be the proceeds of criminal conduct.
Further charges under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act relate to the transfer and possession of cryptocurrency worth €9,906.76 between February 18, 2023 and May 20, 2024; €26,158.94 between February 12, 2024 and August 25, 2025; €10,947.21 held on a USB nano cryptocurrency ledger; and €6,570.04 between November 27, 2023 and July 4, 2024.
It is further alleged that between April 23, 2024 and October 8, 2025, the accused dishonestly operated or caused to be operated a computer with the intention of making a gain for himself.
The accused also faces two charges of possession of cannabis for sale or supply, at Shore Road, Cashel, Achill and at Polranny, Achill, both on October 8 last.
Andrea Escobar, also of Shore Road, Cashel, Achill, appeared before the same sitting charged by Detective Garda Luke Treacy, also of the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau. The court heard she too made no reply after caution.
Ms Escobar faces two separate counts of money laundering - the transfer and possession of €3,665.77 between December 18, 2023 and July 25, 2024, and the transfer and possession of some €18,000 between February 14, 2024 and August 27, 2025.
Judge Connellan was told the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed trial on indictment on all charges against both defendants, with consent for both to be sent forward on a signed plea. There was no objection to bail in either case.
Both defendants were remanded on continuing bail to appear before Castlebar District Court on September 16 next for service of the book of evidence.
- Published as part of the Courts Reporting Scheme.
