https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/1025/1477382-gerard-hutch-spain/

Gerard Hutch, the man known as 'the Monk', has appeared in court in Spain this evening in connection with alleged money laundering offences.

The 61-year-old was one of nine people who were brought by Spanish police before a judge in Lanzarote this evening.

Two of the nine people who were brought before the judge have been remanded in custody.

The other seven people have been released on bail.

Among those appearing were a close relative of Mr Hutch and legal and business people who were associated with or working for him.

Two of the nine were Irish. The rest were other nationalities, with some believed to be English.

A statement from Spanish authorities said: "The judicial authority on duty in the judicial district of Arrecife de Lanzarote has taken statements today from nine people as alleged members of a gang of international criminals, who are being investigated as alleged perpetrators of money laundering crimes committed in the scope of a criminal organisation.

"The investigating magistrate has ordered the entry into provisional prison, communicated and without bail of its two leaders and has decreed provisional release with charges and precautionary measures for the other seven.

"The investigation continues, it is not closed, and the proceedings are declared secret."

All nine were arrested two days ago as part of a joint investigation involving the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigations and the Guardia Civil who are lead agency.

They appeared before a court in Arrecife in Lanzarote this evening and the hearings have been taking some time as each of the nine is entitled to have their case heard individually before the judge.

The proceedings were held in camera with no reporters in the court.

The judge has imposed a secrecy order on the case in Spain.

The Spanish legal system is inquisitorial rather than adversarial and the judge in the case is the primary investigator.

Gardaí from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation are in Spain and have been working closely with the Guardia Civil who are the lead agency in the case.

Search for evidence

Evidence from the garda search of Mr Hutch's Clontarf home earlier this week, which includes electronic devices and documentation, is being handed over to the Spanish authorities.

The search took place on foot of an international letter of request and mutual assistance from the Spanish authorities.

An officer from the Guardia Civil was present at the search for evidence in Dublin while officers from the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation accompanied Spanish police on searches in Spain.

The Guardia Civil carried out ten searches.

The investigation into money laundering across several countries by the Hutch organised crime group has been ongoing for more than two years.

It has focussed on the movements of large sums of money and the purchase of a number of properties in Spain.

Mr Hutch has been regularly travelling between Spain and Ireland since his release from custody in April last year after he was found not guilty of the murder of David Byrne by the Special Criminal Court.

He has a home in Lanzarote and his close relative who is also due in court this afternoon has been living there for at least the past two years

The police investigation in Spain is believed to involve a national unit of the Guardia Civil from the Spanish mainland but they are working closely with the local police and judictiary.

Gardaí say the operation is part of ongoing liaison between the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Guardia Civil in Spain, targeting a Transnational Organised Crime Group located both in Ireland and Spain.

A previous search targeting the group was conducted in Lanzarote in June 2022 by Guardia Civil on behalf of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

There has been no comment from the Guardia Civil in Spain because of the "secrecy order".

As the court proceedings are still ongoing, a spokesperson for the Canary Islands Courts said this evening that he had no information at this time but may have in a couple of hours.