Dublin man faces drug charges

A 42 year-old unemployed man from Dublin has appeared before a special court sitting charged in connection with a massive drugs seizure with an estimated street value in excess of €1m.

Anthony Harris with an address at 26 Ballygall Parade, Finglas, Dublin 11, was appearing at the weekend before Judge Tom O’Donnell at Limerick District Court.

The accused man was charged under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act with possession of 150 kilos of cannabis resin for sale or supply at Birdhill on the Limerick/Tipperary border on May 13.

Detective Garda Grainne McCormack of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, who gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution, said the accused made no reply when charged with the offence at Roxboro Road garda station.

Outlining the allegations against Mr Harris, Detective Garda McCormack said the defendant was arrested after he was stopped by gardaí in a van he was driving which contained 150 kilos of cannabis with a street value of more than €1m.

Solicitor for the accused, Mr Aeneas McCarthy, told the court that his client had “no trappings of wealth” and was in receipt of social welfare. Applying for bail, Mr McCarthy asked the court to impose a relatively low independent surety given his client’s circumstances.

Gardaí told the court that they had no objection to bail but asked that certain strict conditions should be met. Judge Tom O’Donnell remanded the accused in custody with consent to bail on his own bond of €500 with an independent surety of €5,000 to appear again before the court on May 18.

Judge O’Donnell also ordered that the defendant must sign on daily at Finglas garda station, surrender his passport and should reside at his sister’s address in Finglas.