Man appears in court accused of having over €1m worth of cocaine in baggage at Cork Airport

Dublin man charged with possession of cocaine at Cork Airport and having the drug for sale or supply to others

It was alleged during the bail objection that 10 bricks of cocaine, with a street value of over €1m were located in his suitcase when he was intercepted and detained at Cork Airport on Monday. File picture: Larry Cummins

A passenger stepped off a flight from Portugal and had just picked up his suitcase from a carousel at Cork Airport when customs officers intercepted and detained him. 

Over €1m worth of cocaine was allegedly found in his baggage.

Detective Garda Patrick O’Sullivan formally arrested Patrick Cahill, aged 39, of Delhurst Lane, Blanchardstown, Dublin, at Togher Garda Station at 10.45pm on Tuesday, September 1, He was charged with possession of cocaine at Cork Airport at lunchtime on Monday, August 31, and having the drug for sale or supply to others.

Mr Cahill was brought before Cork District Court on Wednesday where Sergeant Gearóid Davis said there was an objection to bail being granted  because of the seriousness of the case. 

Diane Hallahan, solicitor, was appointed to represent the accused on free legal aid. She applied for him to be released on bail.

Judge David Waters said the allegations in the case including the valuation of the suspected drugs being too serious for bail to be granted without substantial independent sureties and cash lodgements.

Judge Waters remanded Mr Cahill in custody with consent to bail on his own bond of €900, with €300 cash to be lodged and two independent sureties of €15,000, with €5,000 cash to be lodged in each case, and the sureties to be approved by the court. 

Mr Cahill was remanded in custody with consent to that bail until September 9. 

Other conditions require him to surrender all travel documents and not to apply for substitutes, sign daily at Blanchardstown Garda Station, and reside at the Blanchardstown address where he must keep a 9pm-8am curfew.

It was alleged during the bail objection that 10 bricks of cocaine, with a street value of over €1m were located in his suitcase when he was intercepted and detained at Cork Airport on Monday.

Ms Hallahan said what was seized was only suspected to be cocaine and had yet to be forensically examined.

Judge Waters said that because of the very serious nature of the matter, there was a real incentive for the accused not to attend court to deal with the matter on the adjourned date and that there needed to be sureties in significant amounts.

If conditions of bail are not met by September 9, the defendant’s court appearance will be by video link from prison on that date.