Four face charges for €600k drug factory

Gardaí arrested four people and brought them to Cork District Court yesterday on various charges arising out of the seizure at the weekend of €600,000 worth of cannabis plants growing at an industrial unit in South Link business park.

Detective Garda Jamie O’Riordan arrested Margaret Le Wu, aged 45, with an address at Tolka Vale, Finglas Rd, Dublin, and Lan Ngoc Le, aged 49, of no fixed address.

Detective Garda Eoin O’Toole arrested Gui Yu Yang, aged 34, of 5, Station St, Clongriffin, Dublin, and Chen Yan, aged 33, of no fixed address.

Lan Ngoc Le and Chen face charges of possession of cannabis, possession of cannabis for sale or supply, and cultivation of cannabis at Unit 7, South Link Business Park, Ballycurreen, Cork, on Mar 29.

Gui Yu Yang and Margaret Le Wu are charged with possession of cannabis and possession of cannabis for sale or supply at the same address.

Inspector Finbarr O’Sullivan said the prosecution was seeking a remand in custody for both Le, a Vietnamese national, and Yan, a Chinese national. Neither defendant applied for bail. Judge Leo Malone remanded both men in custody to appear again at Cork District Court on Thursday, April 3, by video link from prison.

Insp O’Sullivan said the gardaí were awaiting directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Det Garda O’Riordan said gardaí had no objection to bail for Margaret Le Wu, to appear again at Cork District Court on April 30. Conditions include the requirement to reside at 6 Linnetfields Green, Clonee, Dublin, sign on daily at Blanchardstown Garda Station, surrender her passport, and not leave Dublin city or county except court appearances or legal consultations with gardaí to be notified in advance. He made it a bail condition that she provide gardaí with a mobile telephone number with which they can contact her at any time and she agreed to abide by these terms.

Gui Yu Yang was remanded on similar bail conditions to reside at Station St, Clongriffin, Dublin, and appear on the same date.

Legal aid was granted for Frank Buttimer, solicitor, to represent Lan Ngoc Le and Margaret Le Wu, and for Eddie Burke, solicitor, to represent Gui Yu Yang and Chen Yan.

A Vietnamese interpreter translated proceedings for Ngoc Le, a Mandarin interpreter did so for Yu Yang and Yan, and Le Wu did not require an interpreter.