Duo remanded over €1.8m cannabis seizure

Two brothers have appeared in court charged over the seizure of €1.8m worth of cannabis.

Twenty-eight-year-old Darren Kearns of Laburnum Square in Pelletstown and his younger brother 24-year-old Philip of Ashington Dale, on the Navan road in Dublin are charged with possession of the drug and possession with intent to sell or supply last Wednesday.

Gardaí stopped a van at Ballyboughal in North County Dublin on Wednesday night and seized 145 kilogrammes of cannabis worth an estimated €1.8m.

Three men were arrested - two of whom appeared before Dublin district court this afternoon charged with possession of the drugs.

Darren and Philip Kearn's solicitor told the court that neither were men of means and that they had worked for their father whose roofing business had recently collapsed.

Cahir O'Higgins said there was no objection to legal aid and that their supportive family were willing to consider selling their house to meet their bail.

Judge Denis McLaughlin remanded the pair in custody with consent to bail of €100 and an independent surety of €25,000.