All four men accused in alleged €31m West Cork drug-smuggling case plead guilty

Three men had previously indicated they would enter signed guilty pleas, but on Thursday, all four accused entered signed guilty pleas at Bandon District Court

Two of the men were arrested on a RIB that departed Courtmacsherry on July 1 and was intercepted by two Naval Service RIBs dispatched from the LÉ William Butler Yeats off the coast of Waterford.

Four men have pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the alleged smuggling of €31m worth of cocaine at Courtmacsherry, West Cork.

The men were arrested on July 1 from a van carrying some €31m worth of cocaine in Courtmacsherry, and from a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) off the Waterford coast.

Mark Doherty, aged 40, of Waterfoot Avenue, Glasgow, Scotland; Levent Gulay, aged 31, of Schwabenstraße, Neu Ulm, Bavaria, Germany; Christopher Hibbett, aged 44, of Lower Park, Trissillian, Truro, Cornwall, England; and Ben Sandford, aged 39, of Woodgreen, Drumm Road, Keith, Moray, Scotland, all appeared before Judge Joanne Carroll at Bandon District Court.

All the men other than Mr Gulay had previously indicated they would enter signed guilty pleas, but on Thursday, all men entered signed guilty pleas at Bandon District Court.

All four men face five charges from July, 1, 2025, at Meelmane, Courtmacacsherry, West Cork.

Four charges are contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977. These are: importation of cocaine; possession of more than €13,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply contrary to Section 15a; possession of cocaine contrary to Section 3; and possession of cocaine for sale or supply contrary to Section 15.

They are also charged with possession of articles giving rise to the inference they were connected to drug trafficking contrary to Section 183 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.

Mr Sandford and Mr Hibbett were charged with the possession of a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) suspected of being connected to drug trafficking.

Mr Gulay was charged with possession of a Google Pixel 8 mobile phone suspected of being connected to drug trafficking.

And Mr Doherty was charged with possession of a Motorola mobile phone suspected of being connected to drug trafficking.

Judge Joanne Carroll sent all four men forward for sentencing at the next sitting of Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had consented to trial on indictment at the circuit court and for sentence on a signed plea.

All men were remanded in custody until February 10, when they are to appear before Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Judge Carroll advised the men that if they change their plea and intend to use an alibi, they must notify the State within 14 days of Thursday’s date.

Legal aid was extended for a junior and senior counsel barrister for each defendant. Legal aid was also extended to cover translation costs of documents for Mr Gulay, who is German.

The defendants were represented in court by solicitor Myra Dineen, acting for Eddie Burke, and by Francis Taaffe.

Mr Doherty and Mr Gulay were arrested on Tuesday, July 1, when gardaí from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau stopped a van in the Courtmacsherry area and cocaine valued in excess of €31m was seized by the Revenue Customs Service.

Mr Sandford and Mr Hibbett were arrested on a RIB that departed Courtmacsherry on July 1 and was intercepted by two Naval Service RIBs dispatched from the LÉ William Butler Yeats off the coast of Waterford.