Four men have been remanded in custody after being charged in connection with a €31 million drugs seizure in Co Cork on Tuesday.
Mark Doherty, Levent Gulay, Ben Sandford and Christopher Hibbett were all charged in connection with the seizure of 440kg of cocaine in Courtmacsherry by gardaí as part of a joint operation with Revenue Customs and Naval Service.
The four men were brought to Bandon District Court by officers from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, with support from the force’s Armed Support Unit.
They were charged with the same two offices – possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Meelmane, Courtmacsherry on July 1st last.
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Four detectives from the bureau gave evidence of arresting and charging the four accused at Bandon and Togher Garda stations in Cork
Det Garda John McWeeney gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Mr Doherty (40), of Waterfoot Avenue, Glasgow, Scotland. He said the accused made no reply to the charges.
Det Garda Marguerite Reilly gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Mr Gulay (31), of Schwabeenstrasse 76, Neu Ulm, Germany, who also made no reply.
Det Garda Shane Kiely gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Mr Sandford (39), of Woodgreen, Drum Road, Keith, Moray, Scotland. He made no reply to the charges.
Det Garda Gavin Curran gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Mr Hibbett (44), of Lower Park, Trissillian, Truro, England, who replied to one of the charges.
Det Garda Curran said Mr Hibbett replied, “I’m f***ing sorry, that’s it” when he put the possession of cocaine for sale or supply charge to him.
Solicitors Plunkett Taaffe, representing Mr Doherty, and Myra Dineen, representing Mr Gulay, said heir clients were not applying for bail but were reserving their positions.
Both solicitors, deputising for Frank Buttimer for Mr Sanford and deputising for Eddie Burke for Mr Hibbett, confirmed they were similarly not seeking bail for either man at this point.
Sgt Tom Mulcahy said gardaí were seeking a remand in custody to Macroom District Court on July 9th. Judge Joanne Carroll remanded all four in custody to appear there on that date.
She also asked the defence solicitors to provide 48 hours’ notice to gardaí if their clients intended to make applications for bail before the appearance at Macroom court.
She acceded to a garda request that all four accused supply statements of means to accompany any applications they might make for free legal aid at any future appearance.
