Gardaí investigating a suspected Provisional IRA money laundering operation have now recovered close to £3 million. That figure includes £9,000 recovered last week, which they suspect may have come from the Northern Bank raid in December.
According to an informed Garda source, the latest money was recovered when detectives revisited a man in the midlands from whom they had already recovered some money. He handed over £9,000.
Gardaí believe the money had passed through a number of intermediaries before it was handed to him for safekeeping. The notes are being examined forensically to establish if they came from the Northern Bank raid.
The latest cash brings to £2,981,500 the amount recovered by gardaí. Detectives have also recovered €130,000 in the same operation.
The investigation has involved gardaí from Donegal to Cork who have searched 60 premises under warrant. About 12 people have voluntarily handed back sums ranging from £20 to £250,000.
To date, nine people - seven men and two women - have been arrested. Eight have been released without charge and one man has been charged with membership of an illegal organisation.
A source said it would likely be months rather than weeks before a file on the investigation was ready for the DPP.