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A truck driver who was detained by Gardaí and caught with more than 1.2 million euros in cash in his taxi has been taken into custody before sentencing.
Noel Purcell, 44, told Gardaí that he had agreed to transport the money to the Netherlands after he met a man on a boat and confided in him about his personal debt problems, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Tuesday.
Purcell, described by his defense team as “vulnerable” and “easy to manage”, told Gardaí that he had been offered 4,000 euros to bring the money to the Netherlands. At the time, he was struggling with mortgage and credit card debt, the court heard.
Purcell, based in Tullyvoheen, Clifden, Co Galway, pleaded guilty to a cash possession charge that resulted from a crime on Naas Road, Dublin, on July 12 of last year.
Garda Detective Redmond O’Leary told Diana Stuart BL, prosecuting, that Gardaí detained Purcell on Naas Road on the day in question after a surveillance operation.
In the cab of the truck, Gardaí found two large bags containing several packages wrapped in duct tape. Purcell told Gardaí that “they were not drugs, but cash,” the court heard.
Counted by gardaí, the cash amounted to € 1,287,700.
Personal debt problems
Purcell told Gardaí that he had met a man on a boat and that he started talking to him about his personal debt problems. He said the man offered to help him and they exchanged numbers.
Purcell said he received a phone call that day and set out to pick up the package. They told him that someone would be in contact to arrange the delivery of the cash.
Purcell told Gardaí that he “didn’t know what he was getting into” and that he had butterflies in his stomach that day. He has no prior convictions.
Det Garda O’Leary agreed with Bernard Condon SC, on defense, that Purcell was vulnerable and easy to lead. He said Gardaí accepted Purcell’s version of events.
The court heard that Purcell has been a truck driver since the age of 21. Documents were served in court describing his financial difficulties.
Condon said Purcell was suffering from anxiety and financial stress at the time of the incident, which he described as a “crazy moment.”
“He made a terrible mistake, a terrible mistake in his life,” Condon said. He said Purcell was extremely sorry for his actions and was unlikely to re-offend.
Judge Melanie Greally noted that the amount of money was very high. She said Purcell had engaged in an “inexcusable degree of recklessness.”
The judge said a prison sentence was inevitable, given the need for general deterrence.
He left Purcell in custody and postponed sentencing until January 19 of the next year to allow a report from Probation Services.
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