Pubdate: Mon, 19 Mar 2001
Source: Irish Times, The (Ireland)
Copyright: 2001 The Irish Times
Contact:  11-15 D'Olier St, Dublin 2, Ireland
Fax: + 353 1 671 9407
Website: http://www.ireland.com/
Author: Jim Cusack, Security Editor

COURT TO ORDER SEIZURE OF GILLIGAN EQUESTRIAN CENTRE

The Special Criminal Court is expected to order the seizure of John 
Gilligan's equestrian centre at Enfield, Co Kildare, when it resumes its 
sitting next month. Although Jessbrook should be worth at least the amount 
Gilligan invested in it - UKP 2.5 million - its associations with him and 
the murder of Veronica Guerin may make it unattractive to some buyers.

The seizure of Gilligan's assets will take place under the Drugs 
Trafficking Act which allows for the seizure of assets of a person 
convicted of a trafficking offence.

Simultaneously, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is endeavouring to 
discover the whereabouts of UKP 4 million or UKP 5 million which Gilligan 
may have deposited in an offshore bank. CAB is understood to be examining 
the activities of a bank in Antigua as it is known a criminal associate of 
Gilligan's in England used it to launder money from British drug traffickers.

The bank has been the subject of a US Senate investigation because of 
suspected money laundering activities. It was involved in depositing more 
than US$30 million in US banks.

Gilligan may also have visited Antigua. He visited the neighbouring island 
of St Lucia twice on holiday in 1995 and 1996.

Records found at the warehouse in Greenmount, Dublin, which Gilligan's gang 
used as a distribution centre for their drugs business showed they smuggled 
and sold 20,000 kg (20 metric tonnes) of cannabis. It was bought at an 
estimated UKP 800 a kg and sold for between UKP 2,000 and UKP 2,250. 
Allowing for costs, the gang probably made a profit of UKP 700 to UKP 1,000 
per kg.

The gang also had a profitable sideline in supplying cocaine. Patrick 
Holland, an associate of Gilligan, made a large amount of money from 
selling cocaine to people associated with the media and entertainment 
business. CAB seized a house owned by Holland at Brittas Bay.

The gang made so much money in a two-year period that they had difficulty 
handling the amounts of cash. A source close to the investigation said a 
"conservative" estimate would put the profits from the drug trafficking at 
UKP 14.9 million.

Gilligan bought the 70 acres of land at Mucklon, outside Enfield, for UKP 
170,000 and spent more than UKP 2.5 million developing the Jessbrook 
Equestrian Centre into the largest in the State. The Gilligans and their 
two children moved from Ballyfermot to Jessbrook in 1995.

Gilligan's wife, Geraldine, who ran the centre while her husband was 
engaged in the drug trade, has challenged a previous attempt by the CAB to 
seize the property. This case is before the Supreme Court and is separate 
from the present CAB case.
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