A Chinese man who is facing charges related to money laundering and possession of weapons has been refused a bail variation application at the Circuit Criminal Court.
Liangyu Yu, who has an address at Iveagh Exchange, Parnell St. Dublin 1, is currently on bail in respect of the charges he is facing, where part of his bail conditions is that he surrender his passport to the investigating Garda.
Counsel for Yu today made an application for his client’s passport to be temporarily returned to facilitate his travel to Beijing where he said it was his intention to visit his elderly mother.
Garda Sean McGill objected to his request saying that he was concerned that the accused would not return to this jurisdiction should his application be granted.
He said that A search of Yu’s vehicle had resulted in the discovery of 10,295 as well as an amount of Sterling and Dollar currency, and two “extendable batons”.
Yu’s defending counsel argued that his client intends to “fully contest” the charges against him, saying that he is a man who has lived in Ireland for 17 years.
He has a son, daughter, and partner also living here, the court heard.
It was further argued that the matter related to the charges of money laundering and possession of weapons was not a “protracted investigation” as Yu’s car had been searched “just on speculation”, and the amount of money involved, although not insignificant, was “small in normal range of offences”.
Judge Orla Crowe said the court was “not disposed” to grant the bail variation and set the matter back to the 6th of October for arraignment.