Five men have been charged in connection with €2 million drugs offences after gardaí made cannabis seizures from vans and a house described as an organised crime “hub.”
Officers from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau searched a house and stopped vans in Palmerstown, Dublin 20, on Wednesday. Six men were arrested during the operation, and five faced appearances at Dublin District Court on Friday.
Four were granted bail but one of the accused was refused bail and their cases were adjourned at Dublin District Court.
A sixth suspect arrested in the raids on Wednesday remained in garda custody this evening.
Gary Graham (47) of Patrick Heaney Crescent, Dublin 1; Christopher Graham (40) of of Matt Talbot Court, Dublin 1; Michael Murphy (32) of Woodstown Meadow, Knocklyon and Barry Keane (30) of Coolamber Road, Rathcoole, Co Dublin are charged with possession of cannabis with intent to sell or supply at a house at Mill Lane, Palmerstown.
Michael Campbell (31) of New Priory, Donaghmede, is charged with having cannabis for sale or supply at the M50 on the same date, June 22.
Detective Garda Ciaran Cummins, objected to bail in Gary Graham’s case.
He said on the evening of June 22, personnel from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau carried out an intelligence-led investigation into an organised crime group involved in the importation and distribution and related money-laundering activities.
It was alleged Gary Graham was seen driving a white Volkswagen transporter van accompanied by his cousin, Christopher Graham to Mill Lane.
They entered the house, where Gary Graham remained while Christopher Graham left and later handed another vehicle over to Michael Campbell, the garda alleged.
When that van was stopped on the M50, cannabis worth around €650,000 was found, Det Gda Cummins said.
Christopher Graham meanwhile had returned to the house at Mill Lane, where Gary Graham remained.
A Renault van driven by Christopher Graham exited and following a garda intervention, €760,000 worth of cannabis was found in it, the garda said.
The house was then searched and a further €680,000 worth of cannabis was found “stacked up” along a hedge as if another vehicle was going to be brought to the premises to load up.
Gardaí believed Gary Graham was involved in the storage and distribution of drugs from the house which was believed to be a hub of organised crime.
The total weight of cannabis was 104kg, with an estimated value of around €2m.
Applying for bail, defence solicitor Jenny McGeever said Mr Graham, a father-of-one, worked as an industrial cleaner.
He had adamantly denied the offences in the most strenuous terms, she said.
He was not alleged to have driven any of the vehicles out of the house and made no attempt to flee gardaí, she said.
Judge Murphy refused bail.
Earlier, gardaí objected to bail for Christopher Graham (40) when he came before Judge Michele Finan in another court.
Following representations by his solicitor Tony Collier, Mr Graham was granted bail at €3,000 on the condition he surrenders his passport and signs on at his local garda station. He was remanded in custody with consent to bail to July 1.
There were no garda objections to bail for two other men charged with the same offences at the Mill Lane house -Michael Murphy and Barry Keane.
Judge Murphy granted them €5,000 bail subject to conditions, including a ban on leaving the country or associating with their co-accused.
They were also remanded in custody with consent to bail to next Friday.
Gardaí also did not object to bail for the fifth man, Michael Campbell, who is accused of possession of cannabis at the M50.
Judge Treasa Kelly set bail at €2,000, of which €1,000 is to be lodged in cash.
She also required a €10,000 independent surety in Mr Campbell’s case.
News Source: Independent.ie