Yan-Yan Fan A woman suspected of involvement in a Chinese cannabis growing operation in Ireland will get back part of her designer collection seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB).

Yan-Yan Fan (47), who defended herself in the High Court, had claimed that she was a fashion lover and denied that her prized possessions were purchased with criminal money.

She told the court during a hearing that buying fashion was “the only hobby I have”.

But last week, Judge Alex Owens found that most of the designer items seized during CAB searches had been purchased using the proceeds of crime.

In total, 96 items were seized by the CAB and valued at €119,000, although Mr Justice Owens did not find the CAB's evidence to support this valuation.

The judge accepted her arguments that in some cases the items had no value or were gifts and said they should be returned to her.

The list of 19 items to be returned includes tea, earrings, shoes and a keyboard.

Included are a Chanel Petite Timeless tote, in black caviar leather; Petit Y YSL grained black leather tote bag; Chanel Gold Vinyl Chain Stopper; black Moncler jacket for women; Louis Vuitton Sphères bag charm; Chanel 4220 sunglasses; Louis Vuitton gold pendant bracelet; Ray Ban children's purple sunglasses; Versace MOD4305 Sunglasses; Hermès scarf 90cm Copperworks; Louis Vuitton tea 100g; Swarovski Swan Stud Earrings; Apple Wireless Keyboard; Louboutin Degraspike flat shoe; Furla blue fur bag charm; Hermès Silk Twilly Dog Collars; Louis Vuitton purple monogram Shine shawl; Hermes H Belt reversible Swift and Togo; and Louis Vuitton Taiga Pégase black suitcase.

The judge also ordered €89,000 from a frozen account to be returned to her parents, who Ms Fan said had helped her buy an apartment.

However, he accepted CAB's argument that Yan-Yan Fan and a co-defendant Guang Ying Wang (49), who arrived in Ireland in the early 2000s, worked on a growing operation.

Wang did not contest the case in which CAB sought to have the goods, along with €229,000, declared as proceeds of crime.

The Bureau's argument is that Ms. Fan is linked to an organized crime gang involved in cannabis grow houses and had a role in managing properties.

The judge said she had a “significant connection” to 7A Henrietta Place in Dublin in late 2012, where a greenhouse containing 1,490 cannabis plants worth €1.1 million was discovered.

She was a tenant at the property in 2012 and 2013, but when questioned by gardaí she claimed a sub-tenant was responsible for the operation, he said.

He found it hard to believe her testimony that she was unaware of what was happening upstairs in 7A.

The CAB investigation began in 2021 when Wang was arrested on March 19 and questioned over his alleged involvement in a greenhouse in Phibblestown, Co Dublin, in which cannabis worth €400,000 had been discovered.

Gardaí then searched Ms Fan's flat in Cedarhurst Road, Ashtown, Dublin, where Wang was also living at the time, as well as an apartment she was renting in Dublin city centre.

Judge Owens said: “Yan-Yan Fan has, since at least 2012, knowingly been involved in activities relating to the production of cannabis and has handled large sums of money derived from this criminal activity. »

He added that much of his “daily life over the years was not through his bank accounts.”

“She lived off the undisclosed money that she used to pay her credit card bills and other expenses, including large discretionary spending on vacations and designer brand fashion.”

During the hearing, Ms Fan told the court that buying designer goods was “the only hobby I have”.

“I don’t know why they don’t believe me,” she said of CAB.

The office linked her to 12 bank accounts she controls, through which 1.7 million euros have passed since 2005.

The overall figure of 1.7 million euros put forward by the CAB is “shocking”, she said, but it is not true if you go into detail.

LIST OF 19 ITEMS TO RETURN FROM CAB

Chanel Petite Timeless Tote black caviar leather Black grained leather YSL petit Y Tote Bag Chanel gold vinyl chain stopper Black Moncler jacket for women Louis Vuitton Spheres bag charm

Chanel 4220 Sunglasses

Louis Vuitton Goldtone pendant bracelet Children's purple sunglasses Ray Ban Versace MOD4305 Hermes sunglasses 90cm Foulard Cuivreries Thé Louis Vuitton 100g

Swarovski Swan Earrings Wireless Apple Keyboard Louboutin Degraspike Shoe Furla Blue Fur Bag Charm Hermes Silk Twilly Dog Collars Louis Vuitton Shiny Purple Monogram Shawl Hermes H Belt, Reversible, Swift and Togo Louis Vuitton Taiga Black Pega