Cocaine trial pair arrested while walking among cattle, court hears

TWO men on trial over Ireland’s biggest-ever drugs seizure were arrested after a garda found the pair walking among cattle on a west Cork country road, a court heard yesterday.

The two — Perry Wharrie, aged 48, and Joseph Daly, aged 41 — were arrested on July 4, two days after €440m of cocaine in bales was found floating in the sea off west Cork.

Yesterday, Cork Circuit Court was told how Schull Garda Sergeant Gerard Prendiville received a report at 9am on July 4 about two men seen walking.

“I drove to Gubeen in my car and met a local farmer called Tom Ferguson. He was turning his cows into a field,” said Sgt Prendiville.

“The cattle were stretched out and two men were walking among the cows.”

Sgt Prendiville identified himself as a member of An Garda Síochána and asked the men their names.

The first said he was Perry Wharrie while the other said he was Daly, later giving his first name as Joe.

The officer then arrested the pair on suspicion of possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Goleen, Co Cork, on July 2.

On July 9, Daly was charged by Sgt Prendiville with possession of cocaine for sale or supply, and possession of cocaine. Daly made no reply when charged.

A day later Wharrie was charged with the two same offences and replied: “No comment.”

On August 28, Daly was charged with a further possession offence. He made no reply. Wharrie was also charged with a further possession offence and replied: “Not guilty.”

Yesterday afternoon Garda PJ O’Shea told the jury he was on surveillance duty at Bantry General Hospital on July 2, watching a man who was rescued from the sea. The patient was in the intensive care unit but three days later was discharged from hospital.

The man was then arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance for sale or supply on July 2.

He was taken to Bantry Garda Station where he gave his name as Martin Wanden, of no fixed abode. Wanden is now 45.

Earlier in the trial, forensics specialist Geraldine O’Neill told the jury and Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin about the results of her analysis of the white powder found in the bales from the sea.

She said the total weight of all the bales was 1,529.73kg.

The purity of six samples from the bales ranged from 73% to 77% with the average being 75%.

Ms O’Neill said cocaine in its powdered form could only ever be 89% pure. Last year she analysed nine unrelated samples of cocaine dealt “on the street” and found the drugs had a purity ranging from 3.4% to 12%.

Daly, of 9 Carisbrooke Avenue, Bexley, Kent; Wharrie, of 60 Pyrles Lane, Loughton, Essex, both south-east England; and Wanden, of no fixed abode, all deny charges of possessing cocaine, possessing the drug with intent to sell or supply, and having it for sale or supply on July 2, 2007, at Dunlough Bay, Mizen, Goleen, Co Cork.

The trial continues.