The owner of €130,000 found in a freight container will have until September 25th to claim it, a court heard yesterday.
The claimant will, however, have some explaining to do as the money was found in crates which were specially designed to conceal drug shipments.
Dublin District Court heard that customs officers were alerted about the consignment after a lorry-driver arrived at a Dublin freight company on June 27th last.
The man had left hurriedly, refusing to give his name and not leaving any documentation.
When officers searched the container, they found five airtight and lead-lined crates with the money spread on the floors in bundles of €50 and €20 notes.
The lead lining was to block X-ray detection, while the airtight construction would prevent sniffer dogs from detecting any drugs, the court heard.
Yesterday the Revenue Commissioners applied for permission to publicly notify any possible claimants that an application is being made to detain the cash and eventually, if no claim is made, have it forfeit to the State.
Normally this is done by serving notice on known claimants but in this case, as there are none, an application must be made to the court for permission to place an advertisement in a national newspaper.
Judge Timothy Lucey granted the application and ordered that the advertisement be placed in the Irish Independent.