A 42-year-old Irish haulage firm owner who organised the movement of drugs and cash between Europe, Ireland and the UK has been ordered to pay over £630,000 (€722k) to the UK exchequer from his organised crime assets.
Thomas Maher, who lived in Wiltshire Close in Warrington, but who is originally from Co Offaly, was involved in smuggling €500,000 worth of cocaine into Ireland and moving almost €1 million out of the country.
He was caught as part of a joint An Garda Síochána and UK National Crime Agency operation, during which officers accessed his encrypted phone messages and was jailed three years ago for 14 years and eight months.
However, the NCA continued to pursue his assets and a judge at Liverpool Crown Court has now made a confiscation order for £629,159.15, including his house in Warrington, cars, lorries, jewellery, a number of high value watches, artwork and gold ingots bought in Dubai.
Maher has three months to pay or faces an extra six years in jail.
Born and reared in Clara, Co Offaly, Maher bragged about being involved in organised crime for over 20 years. He paid himself less than minimum wage for tax purposes but lived a luxurious lifestyle spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on cars, holidays and jewellery.
Encrochat messages revealed in April 2020 that Maher orchestrated the collection and delivery of at least 21kg of cocaine from locations in the Netherlands. Associates reported back to Maher when the drugs were picked up, transported and arrived at their final destination in Ireland.
In one exchange of messages, Maher discussed the best ports to use with a co-conspirator. "I'm at this game the last 20 odd years pal," he said. "I'm not an overnighter so I know the way of plays."
In another exchange he joked how he was in a great position to take advantage once coronavirus lockdown restrictions were eased, saying: "Once we get this travel ban lifted…we be laughing mate I'm telling u that's why I’m not stressing yet."
Maher was initially arrested as part of the investigation into the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants in a lorry in Purfleet in October 2019.
The tractor unit involved was at one point owned by Maher, and was still registered in his wife’s name even after it was sold.
Maher was released with no further action taken by Essex Police, but the NCA investigation revealed that despite him and wife being on less than minimum wage for tax purposes, they lived a luxurious lifestyle.
The couple owned cars worth more than £200,000, jewellery and watches worth hundreds of thousands, and had spent around £90,000 on holidays over three years.
During a seven month period NCA officers watched as Maher was seen meeting with criminal associates at hotels and in public spaces in the UK to organise the trafficking of cocaine from Holland to the UK and Ireland.
Maher also helped to facilitate the movement of large sums of cash. He arranged for €305,000 to be transported from Ireland to Holland on behalf of one of his associates, who he charged a commission for his involvement.
Gardaí in Drogheda seized a further €600,000 in transit and arrested three people all of whom have been convicted at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. Maher had arranged for the movement of this cash.
