Drug could be got from €35 cactus, court told

A 42-year-old man was put on trial for possession of mescaline for sale or supply but the defence claimed that the material could be derived from a cactus bought legally at any plant shop in Cork for €35.

Alexander Rojas Rey pleaded not guilty to charges of possession of mescaline and possession of the substance for sale or supply contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act at his apartment at River Towers, Lee Road, Cork, on January 23, 2018. A lot of the facts of the case were not disputed between the parties. The key issue was whether the substance was a proscribed drug.