Charity gets boost from seized Lettermacaward drugs cash

A sum of €4,350 seized in a Lettermacaward drugs raid 12 years ago has been handed over to charity.

The cash was the subject of a police property application at Letterkenny District Court this week.

Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that the cash was seized in an operation at a property in Lettermacaward on January 11, 2012.

He said it was the belief of gardai that the money was the result of criminal conduct and asked for it to be forfeited to the State and given to charity.

Judge Cunningham said she was satisfied that the money arose from the proceeds of criminal activity and granted the order. The cash is to be given to Little Blue Heroes.

Little Blue Heroes is a Garda-led, not-for-profit registered charity which supports families of children with serious illnesses.

It is voluntarily led by Garda members, retired Garda members and civic-minded people from communities.

During the raid at Lettermacaward, gardai uncovered an elaborate growing system in a shed and a man was handed 240 hours of community service in 2013 in lieu of a two-year prison sentence.

A lighting and heating system were set up and 47 plants were found at various stages of growth.

The electricity meter was bypassed in an attempt to evade detection of the high amount of electricity being used to power the lights.

Weighing scales, humidifiers, heat mats and bags were also found.