15/02/2010

Head Shop Fire Turns Up €500,000

The fire at a Dublin 'head shop' last week has lead to the discovery of €500,000 in cash under the building's floorboards, it has been revealed.

Gardaí said today they are treating the fire at the legal drug supplying store as arson.

The fire almost completely destroyed the unit and a number of neighbouring outlets last Friday.

During the cleanup operation, Gardaí were amazed to find almost €500,000 in cash found under the floorboards of the Nirvana head shop on Capel Street in Dublin’s north inner city. The money was kept by gardaí for safe keeping over the weekend.

The money was found in a safe under the floorboards of the shop while fire fighters were making the premises safe after bringing the blaze under control on Friday evening.

The money was taken, with the permission of shop owner Jim Bellamy, to the Bridewell Garda station. Garda sources said the cash has not been seized, adding it would be returned to Mr Bellamy for lodgement in the bank as early as this morning.

Also today, the Oireachtas Justice Committee said it would carry out a thorough investigation of 'head shops' and the legal drugs they provide during the course of the current Dáil session

"Having agreed our work schedule I can confirm we will be investigating the issue of head shops over the next few months as it is an issue that requires urgent attention,"said Deputy Brendan Kenneally. "There is clearly a big problem out there with these head shops. They are providing so called ‘legal highs’ to the young people of this country."

Mr Kenneally added: "It is clear that there are a lot of people all around the country whose lives are being badly impacted by the existence of these head shops and personally I would like to see them banned."

(DW/GK)


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