A 36-year-old man has appeared before a special sitting of Trim District Court this evening charged in relation to the seizure of €281,000 worth of cannabis.
Lithuanian national Justas Sapransaukas of no fixed abode appeared before Judge Raymond Finnegan over a number of a charges that alleges he was in possession of the drugs.
As part of an intelligence-led operation involving the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), Cavan Drugs Unit and the Revenue Customs Service, 6.25kg of herbal cannabis was seized in Cavan yesterday.
Mr Sapransaukas was found at that Cavan Town address and arrested.
The seized drugs have an estimated street value of €125,000.
During a follow up search of another property also located in Cavan Town, Gardaí discovered 7.8 kilograms of suspected cannabis with an estimated street value of €156,000.
The court was told that both properties were short term let properties and were booked through Airbnb.
During a contested bail application, Detective Garda Kealan Quinn from the Cavan Monaghan Drugs Unit gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.
He said the accused gave no reply when the charges were put to him.
Detective Garda Quinn said that Gardai were objecting to bail due to the seriousness of the charges and how the maximum sentence if found guilty was life in prison. He also believed Mr Sapransaukas to be a flight risk.
Dimitry Grinberg BL for the accused said that his client had been cooperative and has surrendered his passport.
Judge Finnegan said he has serious concerns surrounding the 36-year-old man being a flight risk and denied bail.
He remanded the Lithuanian national to Cloverhill prison to appear via video link at Cavan District Court next Thursday March 12th.
