A 19-year-old man was “caught red-handed” with €650,000 worth of cannabis in his luggage after landing at Dublin Airport on a flight from Los Angeles, a court has heard.
Callum Brock, who has an address in Manchester, England, appeared before Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court today following his arrest on Sunday.
He was brought to Ballymun Garda station and charged with unlawfully possessing and importing 32.5 kilos of cannabis and having the drug for sale or supply.
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Garda Tanya Shinken told the court the accused "made no reply" to the charges. She objected to bail and voiced concerns that Mr Brock was a flight risk.
She alleged the drugs were found concealed in two suitcases with his name tags attached after his flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) landed, and the estimated value of the cannabis was €650,000.
Garda Shinken told a contested bail hearing that the accused was “caught red-handed” by customs officers. He could also face further charges.
The court heard he had no connections to Ireland and had never been in the country before.
Garda Shinken said his passport showed he had visited the United States, Switzerland, Spain and Greece in recent months.
She agreed with defence counsel Karl Monahan that the case would likely be dealt with at Circuit Court, and the accused could wait 18 months to two years until his trial date.
The defence pleaded for bail, telling the court Mr Brock could abide by conditions, surrender his passport and his mother, a businesswoman, could stand about €10,000 in bail.
Mr Brock, who has still to indicate a plea, gave evidence and told the court his recent travel destinations were family holidays, which he did not pay for, and a visit to his grandmother in the United States.
He agreed he had no relatives or friends in Ireland.
Cross-examined, he told the garda that the flight he came here on departed from LAX.
The judge said that if the defence application was to allow him to reside in the UK, that would not be a realistic prospect, and bail would be refused. She said the other option was to provide a proper address for bail.
She deferred the ruling on bail and remanded him in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court next Tuesday.
Legal aid was granted.
