UNDER THE HAMMER | 

‘Last refuge’ of Kinahan Cartel drug-dealer and partner sells at auction for €266k

Fowler and his partner Lorna Palmer lost their CAB case after a judge ruled €500k in cash and the house which was in Palmer’s name were the proceeds of crime

Today at 08:20

The “last refuge” house of Kinahan Cartel drug-dealer Barry Fowler and his partner Lorna Palmer sold for €266,000 in a five-minute auction this week.

The public auction in Dublin came a year after a receiver was appointed to the Wexford property and given the authority to have it sold off on behalf of the State.

The pair had bought the house for €265,000 in 2008 and spent another €107,527 on it according to evidence from the Criminal Assets Bureau in their High Court case.

With a guide price of €190,000, the first bid came in at €197,000 and quickly went to €265,000 before an added €1,000 bid clinched the deal for the three-bed dormer bungalow.

Fowler and his partner Lorna Palmer lost their CAB case after a judge ruled €500,000 in cash and the house which was in Palmer’s name were the proceeds of crime.

The sale by Wilson Auctions brings an end to the proceeds of crime case against the couple who Judge Alex Owens said had “been living high on the hog of criminal enterprise.”

Chief Superintendent Michael Gubbins detailed in an affidavit how the couple and other family members created schemes to launder cash.

This included obtaining a mortgage for the Wexford property but making payments with cash and paying for renovations with cash.

One loan for €50,000 taken out by a family member and used in the house purchase was paid back within eight months even though the person had no means to do so.

The same auction firm are now set to sell off a bumper stock of €500,000 worth of luxury goods seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau ahead of Christmas.

Seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the items listed for auction include designer watches such as Rolex Submariners, Rolex Datejusts and an 18ct Gold Cartier Santos 100.

Also going under the hammer are two Limited Edition Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshores, a Hublot Big Bang, Rolex Daytonas, a Breitling Navitimer and a Tag Heuer Ladies Formula 1.

Wilsons Auctions’ Director and Auctioneer, Ricky Wilson said: “We are delighted to be managing the sale for CAB. Wilsons Auctions is well known for dealing with seized goods. All the money raised from this auction will be paid directly back into the state.”

“This is an ideal opportunity for bidders to get their hands on Christmas gifts.”

Other seized goodies including one-ounce gold bars, diamond rings, a 14-carat white gold necklace and bracelets, diamond earrings and an 18-carat gold Cartier love bracelet.

The online-only auction for registered bidders starts on Friday 1st December.

But even if buyers miss out this time around there has been no shortage of luxury being seized by CAB as heard during various recent cases.

One of those was burglar-gang driver Mary Cash who claimed she saved money whole working as an escort in Australia to afford her designer goods.

During a garda search a Gold Cartier Santos Galbee watch worth €2,000 and a Chanel N’Quartz watch worth €900 were found alongside two diamond bracelets worth €4,200.