A DHL employee has been accused of getting a “central function” in a “subtle operation” following the seizure of simply over €3 millioin value of hashish and cocaine in Dublin.
Officers from the Garda Dublin Crime Response Workforce based mostly at Dublin Fort arrested father of 4 Philip Lawless on Wednesday and held him at Kevin Road station.
The courier agency worker, with an deal with at Forest Park, Leixlip, Co Kildare, was charged on Friday night with possessing hashish and cocaine on the market or provide at a storage facility in Ballymount Industrial Property and having hashish on the market or provide at a property on Beresford Road within the north interior metropolis.
Mr Lawless was refused bail when he appeared earlier than Decide Marie Quirke at Dublin District Court docket on Saturday.
Garda Tara Higgins advised the courtroom Mr Lawless, who was supported in courtroom by his spouse and aged father, “made no reply” to the Misuse of Medicine Act expenses.
Objecting to bail, the officer mentioned that medication value an extra of €3 million had been situated at a number of areas, and samples had been examined, confirming they had been hashish and cocaine.
Garda Higgins alleged that 115 kilos of hashish value €2.3 million had been recovered at a storage unit in Ballymount Industrial Property, together with ten kilos of cocaine valued at €700,000 and one other €6,000 value of hashish ecovered at a second location.
Garda Higgins alleged that the accused had a key and a “distinctive code” to the storage facility, and there was wonderful CCTV proof of him carrying containers containing hashish and cocaine into the unit.
The garda maintained there was robust proof: the accused was caught “red-handed” and arrested on the grounds the place he had the important thing in his possession. It was additionally claimed that he was the leaseholder.
Garda Higgins agreed with defence counsel Kevin McCrave, instructed by solicitor Niall O’Connor, that the accused nonetheless had the presumption of innocence and he may face a prolonged wait till the trial.
The courtroom heard that Forensic Science Eire, which conducts drug evaluation for the felony justice system, has already examined among the seizure.
The garda additionally mentioned a file could be ready for the Director of Public Prosecutions, the case would probably be upgraded, and an additional cost was doable.
She added that it might get precedence given the worth of the substances.
Below cross-examination, Garda Higgins acknowledged that two different folks had been charged with linked offences.
Nevertheless, she alleged that the accused “performed a central function on this subtle operation” and no bail circumstances would fulfill her considerations.
Pleading for bail, counsel submitted that his consumer, who didn’t deal with the courtroom, had lived at his present deal with for 17 years and had 4 youngsters and a grandchild.
The decide heard that his arrest had upset his household, which relied on Mr Lawless, the only real supplier within the family.
The defence mentioned he would obey varied circumstances, together with surrendering his passport and cellphone and a curfew order.
Mr McCrave additionally burdened that his consumer had no historical past of convictions or warrants and had not come to Garda consideration. He mentioned there was a presumption of innocence and a presumption in favour of bail and submitted that there was no proof provided that he wouldn’t flip up for trial or that he was concerned in a criminal offense cycle.
The courtroom heard that Mr Lawless, but to point a plea, had labored for DHL however risked shedding his job.
Decide Quirke mentioned he was nonetheless presumed harmless however described the fees as critical and famous the Garda objections.
She denied his bail utility and remanded Mr Lawless in custody to seem at Cloverhill District Court docket on Tuesday.
The decide additionally deferred granting authorized assist to permit gardaí to look at the defendant’s assertion of means.
Two different males had been charged and appeared in courtroom on Friday.
