Forensics experts found a discrepancy of £3,000 in money counted by gardaí at a money launderer's house, the Veronica Guerin murder trial heard today.
Detective Garda Robert O'Reilly, an exhibits officer said he was told by other garda that £66,605 was found during a raid on the home of Patrick and Yvette Warren, the parents of protected witness Russell Warren.
The court has told Mr and Mrs Warren were both convicted of money laundering offences.
Det O'Reilly, cross examined by Mr Michael O'Higgins, counsel for murder accused Mr John Gilligan, said that gardaí also gave him a handwritten note saying "66,000" which was found with the money.
He said he later handed the note back to the Warren family before discovering that there was a 3,000 pounds discrepancy in the sum counted by the gardaí and the amount counted by forensics experts.
"In hindsight, I shouldn't have handed back the note," Detective Garda O'Reilly told the court. "But I was swamped with exhibits at the time. I handed it back to get some breathing space."
Det O' Reilly said that there was "organised chaos" in the Veronica Guerin murder investigation at the time.
It was the thirty-first day of the trial of John Gilligan (48), with addresses at Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin; Jessbrook Equestrian Centre, Mucklon, Enfield, Co Kildare; and HM Prison Belmarsh, London, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sunday Independent crime reporter Ms Veronica Guerin (37) at Naas Road, Clondalkin, Dublin on June 26th, 1996.
Gilligan also denies fifteen other counts alleging the importation of cannabis and firearms and ammunition offences.
The prosecution has claimed that John Gilligan was "in control and command" of a criminal gang that imported and distributed large amounts of cannabis and that he organised the murder of Ms Guerin.
The trial continues next Tuesday.