Gang member Rooney 'would've been better off with a banger' as State seeks to seize €72k Merc

At the Special Criminal Court, the State sought to seize a €72,000 Mercedes-Benz used by Thomas Rooney, a 52-year-old from Meath described as a mid-to-high level gang member. Rooney pleaded guilty in July 2021 to possessing over €600,000 in criminal proceeds across three separate occasions in Drogheda in May 2020, contrary to money-laundering legislation. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment in January 2022. The State's application for vehicle forfeiture proceeded on grounds that Rooney had counted €7,650 in crime cash inside the car and used it to coordinate money transfers with his then partner via text message. The presiding judge remarked that Rooney would have fared better using an inexpensive vehicle. Defence counsel argued the car was used for a legitimate executive travel business and that forfeiture would cause undue hardship upon release. The court adjourned the forfeiture decision to June 2, 2022.