Limerick man refused bail over €1.5m drug seizure after tearing up charges
Jamie Long, 26, appeared before Limerick District Court after gardaí seized €1.5m in cocaine and cannabis. Bail was refused after he tore up the charge sheets and threw them into a toilet.
Limerick man accused of €1.5m drugs haul tore up charge sheets in court
A 26-year-old Limerick man charged in connection with possession of more than €1.5 million worth of drugs tore up the charges against him and threw them into a toilet bowl, a court heard on Saturday, laois-nationalist.ie reports.
Jamie Long, of Thomond Student Village, Ballygrennan, Limerick, appeared before a special weekend sitting of Limerick District Court and was refused bail.
Arrest and seizures
Long was arrested last Wednesday in the front seat of a white Ford transit van at Kilbranish Drive, Woodview, Limerick, where gardaí say he was found in possession of €70,000 worth of cocaine. At the time of his arrest, gardaí also recovered a key to a second Ford transit van parked outside his home address.
Following a warrant to search the second vehicle, investigating gardaí found 11 kg of cocaine and 35 kg of cannabis inside, with a combined estimated street value of approximately €800,000 and €700,000 respectively — bringing the total seizure to around €1.5 million.
Charges and courtroom incident
Detective Garda Anthony Harnett, Limerick Divisional Drugs Unit, gave evidence of arresting and charging Long with three counts of possession of drugs for sale or supply, and three counts of possession for his own use. Det Garda Harnett told the court that Long made no reply to the charges, and that when handed a copy of the charge sheet, he "ripped [it] up and threw [it] into the toilet."
Garda objection to bail
Det Garda Harnett outlined the basis for the garda objection to bail, stating it was his belief that Long "will continue to commit further serious crimes, including continuing to engage in the sale and supply of wholesale distribution of controlled drugs."
The detective alleged that Long admitted to being under duress to store and deliver large quantities of cocaine and cannabis in order to pay off a drug debt exceeding €50,000. Long also admitted to being addicted to both cannabis and cocaine, according to Det Garda Harnett, who stated that if released, Long would "undoubtedly engage in similar activity to address what is now an even greater debt due to the seizure."
Det Garda Harnett further alleged that Long "is an integral part of an organised crime group who are at the forefront of suppliers of controlled substances in the Limerick region and further beyond," and that he had been "entrusted to store, control and deliver huge amounts of cocaine and cannabis."
Long was interviewed on eight occasions and, gardaí alleged, made admissions to being a courier and having full control over the drugs. He also allegedly admitted that his DNA would be found on every individual pack of cannabis and cocaine seized from the van.
Det Garda Harnett told the court it was his belief that Long would "attempt to leave the jurisdiction" if granted bail, describing him as "a serious flight risk."
Defence submissions
Solicitor Michael O'Donnell, representing Long, rejected the suggestion that his client was a flight risk, noting that Long did not own a passport. O'Donnell proposed that Long could sign on daily at a garda station and comply with a curfew, adding that Long's partner is currently pregnant. The solicitor also indicated that an independent bail surety of a substantial amount — to be fortified in the event of any breach — was available to the court.
Inspector Martyn Wallace of Henry Street Garda Station reiterated the garda's concerns about the consequences of granting bail.
Bail refused
Judge Patricia Ryan said she was "satisfied," on hearing the evidence, to refuse bail. Several members of Long's family, who were present in the courtroom, embraced him before he was taken into custody.
Long was remanded in custody and is due to appear before Limerick District Court via video-link on 3 March.
Source: Google News IE — Crime (en)