The Director of Public Prosecutions v Dmitrijus Semionovas

Amount Forfeited

€15,150

Court Date

8 March 2012

The Director of Public Prosecutions v Dmitrijus Semionovas

Venue

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

Judge

Martin Nolan

Summary

On the 8 March 2012, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court ordered the forfeiture to the Exchequer of cash amounting to €15,150 pursuant to Section 39, Criminal Justice Act 1994, as amended by Section 21, Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Act 2005, on the grounds that it was proven on the balance of probabilities to represent the proceeds of crime, or was intended for use in criminal conduct. On 28 November 2010 Revenue Enforcement Officers at Dublin Airport seized and detained the cash from Dmitrijus Semionovas, a Lithuanian national, as he was about to board a flight to Malaga, Spain.

Following an investigation by Revenue’s Investigations and Prosecutions Division a file on the matter was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions who ordered the forfeiture proceedings.

In the course of the investigation Mr Semionovas had claimed that the cash represented savings from employment, and that it was to be used to purchase a vehicle in Spain, for export to Ireland. However it was proven to the Court that these claims did not stand up to scrutiny

The application at the Circuit Criminal Court was opposed by Counsel for Mr Semionovas.