Michael Byrne loses appeal over drug confiscation order

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Michael Byrne lost his appeal against a confiscation order following his conviction for possession of a controlled drug at the Court of Appeal on 22 July 2016.

The court upheld an order confiscating €40,253.62 from three bank accounts. Byrne had received a 17-year prison sentence after diamorphine worth about €6 million was found in packages he was observed counting in a van.

The Court of Appeal held that the trial judge had an ample evidential basis for making the order and dismissed the appeal.