Four County Tyrone men have been returned for trial in relation to a huge criminal property case involving the EncroChat system alleged to date back over six years and in the case of one accused money was moved through bank accounts in the United Arab Emirates.
In the case of one of the accused defence counsel advised the new charges are to be linked with an existing case involving the same nature of alleged offending
The National Crime Agency in conjunction with a number of police forces including PSNI infiltrated thousands of criminal conspiracies in what was described as the UK’s biggest ever law enforcement operation which began in 2016 and ultimately led to EncroChat being shut down.
The current charges are linked to the company ML Trading NW Limited which is owned by one of the accused and listed as dealing in wholesale agricultural machinery, equipment and supplies,
According to Companies House ML Trading NW Limited continues to remain ‘active’ but is currently subject to an application for strike off and has not filed accounts since 2020.
Appearing for a committal hearing were Michael Lynch (38) from Tristan Road, Strabane, Peter Loughran (51) from Tamnamore Road and Nolan James Scarlett (47) from Terrenew Road both in Dungannon along with and George McGarrigle (63) from Barron Road, Dunnamanagh who are each charged with offences relating to the transfer of criminal property.
Loughran’s charges are to be linked with existing matters.
In respect of each Lynch, who is the sole owner of ML Trading NW Limited, is accused if entering into an arrangement suspected of facilitating the, use or control of criminal property, namely the transfer of monies into and out of the company ; acquiring criminal property namely money transfers totalling £49,995 or from ML Trading NW Limited to Formil Plant Hire Limited of which he was a director and a further £16,102 from ML Trading NW Limited to his Santander bank account. It is further alleged he converted criminal property following receipt of money transfers by making cash withdrawals from his Santander account.
Loughran is charged with conspiring to transfer money to ML Trading NW Limited, conspiring with others to remove criminal property namely money transfers totalling £191,740 to an Emirates NBD bank account and converting criminal property, namely money transfers totalling£79,559 from the Emirates NBD bank account to Lisa Loughran following the receipt of money transfers from ML Trading NW Limited.
McGarrigle is charged with entering into an entered into an arrangement of the suspected acquisition, of criminal property by through transfer of monies into and out of ML Trading NW Limited; acquiring criminal property namely money transfers totalling £101,950 to Mourne Recycling Limited and £40,453 to GMG Livestock Limited, both of which he was a director of. It is further alleged he converted criminal property by money transfers from his companies and making payments for goods and services using a Visa debit card linked to the ML Trading NW Limited bank account,
Finally, Scarlett faces a single charge of conspiring to transfer criminal property, namely cash to ML Trading NW Limited.
Offending is collectively alleged to have occurred on various dates between March 10 2019 and August 11 2020.
A prosecuting lawyer told Dungannon Magistrates Court there is a case to answer which was agreed by District Judge Francis Rafferty.
All accused spoke only to confirm their identities and that they understood the respective charges against them.
They each declined to call witnesses or give evidence on their own behalf at this stage.
Judge Rafferty remanded them on £250 bail each to appear for arraignment at Dungannon Crown Court on November 10.
