Police Dog Ice helps seize £90,000 in Co Antrim operation

PD Ice after the discovery

A police dog’s nose for hidden cash has helped detectives uncover £90,000 and make two arrests in a County Antrim during a targeted operation against suspected illegal money lending.

Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Predatory Lending Team (PLT) carried out planned searches at three residential properties in the Donard Drive and Tirowen Drive areas of Lisburn on Thursday, 19 February. What they discovered — thanks in large part to Police Dog (PD) Ice — has drawn high praise from detectives.

The cocker spaniel played what officers described as an instrumental role in the success of the operation, locating large quantities of concealed cash in multiple properties.

Detective Inspector O’Hara, from the PLT, said:

“Ice was directly responsible for several cash finds during the searches, which totalled approximately £80,000. In one property, which appeared in quite a derelict state, PD Ice successfully located cash locked in metal boxes which had been hidden under two sets of floorboards in different rooms.

“He also found additional cash hidden in an attic of one of the properties, so the benefit of having PD Ice as part of the search team was clear.

“The total amount of cash seized from the searches ultimately totalled £90,000. PD Ice was instrumental in assisting us with these seizures – which resulted in two subsequent arrests – and it shows how integral our Dog Unit is to police work like this.”

Following the searches, a 36-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of illegal money lending and money laundering offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Both individuals have since been released on bail to allow for further police enquiries.

The operation highlights the continued work of the PSNI’s Predatory Lending Team in tackling suspected illegal lending activity, with specialist resources — including the Dog Unit — playing a crucial role in uncovering hidden assets and supporting financial investigations.

As enquiries continue, the significant cash seizure marks a notable development in the investigation and underlines the increasingly sophisticated methods being used by officers to trace concealed proceeds of crime.