Ex-airport policeman extradited over money laundering

A former Dublin airport policeman has been extradited to Northern Ireland to serve a prison sentence for money laundering for organised crime groups.

44-year-old Mark Adams, from Malahide, has just been released from jail in the Irish Republic.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said he had smuggled cash out of the UK, taking almost 500 flights over a five year period.

It said Adams is believed to have “laundered millions of pounds” in total.

He was arrested in 2018 after being detained at Belfast International Airport with 180,000 euros in his hand-luggage.

It was “disguised” in folders made to look like they contained legal documents.

He had claimed he was going to a wedding in Spain, however, it was discovered he was booked on a return flight just 80 minutes after he was due to arrive in Alicante.

While on bail he fled, only to be later arrested by Irish authorities who charged him with separate money laundering offences.

Adams was sentenced to five years in prison in the Republic.

While in jail, he was sentenced in 2022 to 20 months in prison on charges related to the Belfast International incident.

The NCA said on Wednesday that following the end of his sentence in the Irish Republic, he has been extradited to Northern Ireland to begin his sentence.

It had previously described Adams and a “serial money launderer on both sides of the border”.

Adams left his job at Dublin airport in 2017 following a career break.

NCA branch commander David Cunningham said: “By working together with law enforcement partners, we were able to ensure he faced justice in both jurisdictions.”