Man faces fresh drugs and money-laundering charges following seizure of drugs at hotel carpark in Cork

THE seizure of €160,000 worth of drugs at a hotel car park in Little Island, followed by the alleged raid on a property in Riverstown containing a cannabis growhouse, saw new charges being brought against a 43-year-old man this week.

Detective Garda Ruairi McGovern brought the fresh charges against Mindaugas Stancikas. These include one count of having drugs for sale or supply at a time when their street value exceeded €13,000 — a charge with a minimum sentence of 10 years unless there are exceptional circumstances – and a money-laundering charge in respect of €2,800.

It was previously alleged that gardaí observed a transaction taking place in the car park of the Radisson Hotel in Little Island between the occupants of two vehicles and, when officers moved in to carry out a search, they found €160,000 worth of cannabis and €39,500 in cash.

Mr Stancikas was charged initially with money laundering in respect of that amount of cash and having drugs and possession of them for sale or supply.

On Monday, he was charged with the more serious drugs charge arising out of alleged events in the hotel car park.

And he was also charged with a series of counts related to a search at his home on the same date.

He was charged with possession of cannabis herb and resin and having both drugs for the purpose of sale or supply, cultivation of cannabis, and money laundering in respect of €2,800 cash allegedly found at his home.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the DPP directed trial by indictment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Solicitor Frank Buttimer applied for a copy of some prosecution evidence in the case, describing the accused as a Lithuanian national resident in Ireland for the past 20 years.

Some of the previous bail conditions were relaxed, including the requirement to sign on seven days a week at his local Garda station, becoming a requirement to sign on three days a week.

All 10 charges faced by Mr Stancikas relate to December 19, 2023 — at the car park of the Radisson Hotel, Little Island, and at his home in Riverstown.

In an account of the allegations given when the matter first came before the court, it was stated that, at the hotel car park, gardaí carrying out surveillance observed a bag containing €39,500 in cash being placed in one vehicle and a bag containing 8kg of cannabis with an estimated street value of €160,000 being put in another vehicle.