A 55-year-old Lithuanian man living in Limerick has been remanded in custody after he appeared in court charged over the seizure of €1.8m worth of drugs at Dublin Port on Saturday.
A haulage driver, Alvydus Simkus (55), from Cathedral Place, Smith Lane, Limerick, faces six charges; three counts of possession, and three counts of possession for sale or supply.
Mr Simkus appeared before Justice Alan Mitchell, at a special sitting of the Dublin District Court, at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Monday.
On Saturday morning Mr Simkus arrived at Dublin Port after coming from Liverpool, the court heard. When the truck Mr Simkus was driving was searched, gardaí and customs officers found quantities of ketamine, MDMA powder and cocaine, in three bags. Two of the bags were discovered in the cab of the lorry, and a third bag was found in a compartment attached to the cab.
Mr Simkus has been living in Limerick since 2005, and is employed as a haulage truck driver.
Detective Garda Ronan Doolan told the court when Mr Simkus was charged on Saturday April 31st he made no reply.
Defence solicitor Andrew Vallely made an application for bail, which Det Garda Doolan objected to on the grounds Mr Simkus may be a flight risk as a non-national.
Mr Vallely submitted that Mr Simkus was willing to sign on regularly at a local garda station, and had no history before the courts, other than a number of minor traffic related matters.
Mr Simkus was not a flight risk, and was supporting his wife, and two of his children who were studying in third-level education in Ireland, Mr Vallely said.
However Justice Mitchell refused the application for bail due to the seriousness of the crime and Mr Simkus was remanded in custody at Cloverhill Prison.
An application for legal aid was approved, after the court heard Mr Simkus had an income of €500 a week, and no savings.
Mr Simkus will appear before Cloverhill District Court on Friday April 6th.
