Dublin man (33) charged in connection with €3m cocaine haul

Graham Doherty (33) appeared in Blanchardstown District Court today after he was arrested in connection with the haul on Tuesday.

Judge Catherine Hayden remanded him in custody after no bail application was made on his behalf.

Mr Doherty, from St John’s Crescent, Clondalkin, is charged with possession of cocaine for sale or supply at that address on July 9. He is also charged with a related count of simple possession of the drug at the same time and place.

Garda Charles McPartland told the court he arrested the accused for the purpose of charging him at Clondalkin station yesterday. Mr Doherty was charged at 10.20pm and replied “thank you” when charged and cautioned. He was handed a copy of the charge sheets.

Defence barrister Ciaran MacLoughlin said no bail application was being made this morning.

Judge Hayden asked Mr MacLoughlin if disclosure of prosecution evidence was being sought.

The barrister said he was not seeking one at this juncture as a certificate of analysis of the drugs would be required in the case first.

The judge granted free legal aid following a defence application, with no garda objections.

The accused was remanded in custody to appear in Cloverhill District Court next week, for the directions of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Mr Doherty, wearing a beige zip-up jacket and dark jeans was not required to speak during the brief hearing and has not yet entered pleas to the charges which are under Sections 3 and 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Gardaí have said that following the seizure, further searches were carried out on Wednesday in a number of residential locations in the Dublin 10 and 12 areas, by members of the Serious Crime South Ballyfermot Drug & Detective units with assistance from the Garda Dog Unit, Divisional Search Team and the Dublin Crime Response Team.

During the course of the further searches, cocaine and cash were seized, gardaí said.

Gardaí arrested a woman in her 30s in connection with the seizures and she was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act at a Dublin garda station. She has since been charged, and is due to appear before the courts at a later date.

The suspected cocaine will now be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) to undergo analysis, gardaí said.