Carlow man charged in €3m drugs bust

A CARLOW man has been remanded in custody in connection with a €3 million drugs bust at Rosslare Europort.

51-year-old Tony Abbey, of Tullow, County Carlow, came before Judge Mirian Walsh at a Special Sitting of Gorey District Court this afternoon (Monday).

Mr Abbey is charged with two drugs offences, the possession of cannabis and the possession of cannabis for the purpose of sale or supply at Rosslare Europort on Saturday 22 August.

Revenue Officers seized approximately 150.6kg of suspected herbal cannabis, following the search of the truck which had disembarked the ferry.

The drugs were discovered as the result of routine profiling, when a truck that had disembarked a ferry from Bilbao, Spain, was stopped and searched by Custom Officers at Rosslare Europort.

Detective Garda Stephen Burke told the court that at 4pm on 24 August, he charged the accused after caution at Wexford Garda Station.

Det Burke said the accused made no reply after each charge was put to him.

Det Burke told the court that the accused man is an international haulier and travelled the continent between Ireland and Europe.

Given the seriousness of the charges and the fact that he deemed the accused a flight risk he was objecting to an application for bail.

Defence solicitor, Chris Hogan, said the accused man had cooperated fully with Custom Officers during the course of the search of the truck. The accused had left Ireland with a load of fish and was on the way back from Spain to collect another load.

When Mr Hogan put it to Det Burke that the accused man had cooperated, the investigating garda told the court that investigations are ongoing internationally and in Ireland.

Tony Abbey, the accused in evidence, said he had been nearly twenty-five years operating in the haulage business. He said that he had cooperated with gardaí and would help them in any way required. He added that if granted bail he would abide by the conditions as laid down by the court.

Replying to a question by Sgt Victor Isdell, he said he had travelled through Bilbao to Rosslare Europort, adding, that he operated one truck. He said his Passport is with gardaí while he is separated from his former wife.

Sgt Isdell told the court the defendant constituted a flight risk and gardaí were objecting to bail.

Mr Hogan argued the court should take into account the presumption of innocence in deciding on the application.

The evidence before the court is that the accused has resided at the same address, is a businessman, has never been before the courts previously, while he cooperated fully with gardaí.

Mr. Hogan added that there is sufficient evidence that can be put in place to mitigate against any garda concerns, while there is an independent surety available to the court.

In summing up, Judge Walsh said she would grant bail, on an independent surety of €40,000, and a surety of €20,000 from the accused, with evidence of the monies being available being provided from bank accounts.

Judge Walsh also ordered that the accused sign on twice a day at Tullow Garda Station, observe a curfew from 11pm to 7am, while also providing a mobile phone number, and not to apply for any travel documents.

The accused was remanded in custody, with consent to bail, to appear before Wexford District Court on Wednesday at 10.30am.