This evening, in a Spanish courtroom, Gerard Hutch, infamously dubbed ‘the Monk,’ found himself embroiled in serious legal troubles connected to suspected money laundering activities.
At a bustling judicial facility in Lanzarote, the 61-year-old Hutch was one of nine individuals summoned before a judge by Spanish law enforcement officials.
Among this group, two individuals have been denied bail and will remain behind bars, while the remaining seven have been granted provisional release under stringent conditions.
Interestingly, two of those apprehended hailed from Ireland, with the others representing various national origins, including several with English ties.
Spanish authorities provided a briefing stating: “The on-duty judicial figure in the Arrecife de Lanzarote district has officially questioned nine individuals believed to be affiliated with a global criminal network, suspected of engaging in money laundering as part of a larger organized crime operation.”
They further elaborated, “The magistrate has mandated that the two primary suspects be placed in provisional detention without bail, while the other seven have been conditionally released with imposed restrictions.”
“Please note, this inquiry is ongoing and remains classified—details are not yet public.”
A mere two days ago, all nine were apprehended as part of a collaborative investigation driven by both the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigations and the Guardia Civil, Spain’s lead enforcement body in this matter.
During their appearance at the courthouse in Arrecife, proceedings stretched out, as each of the nine deserved their moment to present their side to the presiding judge.
This session occurred behind closed doors, with no journalists allowed inside, mitigating any media frenzy surrounding the high-profile nature of the case. The judge has also enacted a confidentiality mandate on all related proceedings.
In Spain, the judicial process operates on an inquisitorial framework, unlike the adversarial systems familiar in other jurisdictions. As such, the presiding judge assumes the role of the primary investigator throughout the proceedings.
Irish detectives from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation have traveled to Spain, collaborating closely with their Spanish counterparts in the Guardia Civil, who are spearheading this inquiry.
Search for Clues
In recent days, law enforcement officers searched Hutch’s residence in Clontarf, seizing various electronic gadgets and papers that are now being forwarded to Spanish judicial authorities. This operation followed an international request for cooperation from Spain.
Notably, an officer from the Guardia Civil was on-site during the Clontarf search, while members of the Garda unit assisted Spanish officers conducting parallel searches on their own turf.
The Guardia Civil executed a total of ten search warrants as part of this extensive operation.
This ongoing investigation into money laundering linked to the Hutch organized crime syndicate has been underway for over twenty-four months, zeroing in on the flow of significant financial transactions and various property acquisitions across Spain.
Since regaining his freedom in April 2022, having been exonerated of murder charges related to David Byrne, Mr. Hutch has frequently shuttled between Ireland and Spain. He maintains a residence in Lanzarote, where a familial associate has also resided for a minimum of two years.
It’s believed that this investigation involves a specialized division of the Guardia Civil based on the Spanish mainland, but they are closely collaborating with local law enforcement and judicial entities.
The Gardaí mention that this operation is part of a broader ongoing partnership, teaming up the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation with Guardia Civil in a concerted effort against a transnational organized crime group operating both in Ireland and Spain.
In June 2022, a prior operation targeting the Hutch faction saw the Guardia Civil conducting searches in Lanzarote, following requests from the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Due to the imposed secrecy surrounding these proceedings, the Guardia Civil has refrained from making any public statements at this time.
With the court proceedings still in progress, a representative from the Canary Islands Courts acknowledged that information is currently limited but may become available in coming hours.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
