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Irish Times
09-07-2025
- Irish Times
Gardaí working with UK National Crime Agency as part of investigation into €31 million West Cork drugs haul
Gardaí are liaising closely with the National Crime Agency in the UK as part of their ongoing investigation into the seizure of €31 million of drugs in west Cork, a court has heard. Det Garda Gavin Curran of the Garda National Drugs and Organized Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) said gardaí were continuing to make progress in their investigation into the huge cocaine haul. Some 440kg of cocaine were seized by gardaí at Courtmacsherry, Co Cork, on July 1st in a Joint Task Force operation which also involved Customs and Excise and the Naval Service. Two men arrested in Courtmacsherry, and two men arrested at Haulbowline Naval Base after they were detained at sea by the LE William Butler Yeats, were later charged at Bandon District Court. READ MORE Mark Doherty, Levant Gulay, Ben Sandford and Christopher Hibbett were all charged with possession of cocaine, and possession of cocaine for sale or supply, at Meelmane, Courtmacsherry on July 1st. Judge Joanne Carroll remanded all four in custody to Macroom District Court, where they appeared on Wednesday morning amid tight security, including officers from the Garda Armed Support Unit. Det Garda Curran said a kilo of the drug had been sent to the Forensic Science Ireland laboratory, which confirmed that it was cocaine, but tests need to be done on further samples. He said that GNDOCB were liaising the National Crime Agency in the UK to pursue a number of lines of inquiry into the seizure. 'I can't give you an exact timeline on when a file is going to be ready given the numbers of lines of inquiry, but I can confirm the investigation is ongoing and progress is being made,' he said. Judge Carroll acknowledged the Garda's evidence and Sgt Emer O'Connell applied for a continuing remand in custody for all four to appear at Clonakilty District Court on July 15th. Earlier, solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said that he was not applying for bail for his client Mr Doherty (40), of Waterfoot Avenue, Glasgow, at this point, but he was seeking free legal aid for him. He submitted a statement of means, saying Mr Doherty was living in a local authority house in Glasgow where he was working as a builder's labourer and had no funds to pay for his defence. Judge Carroll said that she would adjourn her decision on free legal aid until the next court sitting to allow gardaí confirm the details that he had filled out in his statement of means. Mr Taaffe, deputising for Frank Buttimer, said another accused, Mr Sandford (39) of Woodgreen, Drum Road, Keith, Moray, Scotland, was also reserving his position on a bail application. Solicitor Patrick Goold, deputising for Eddie Burke, said that his client Mr Hibbett (44), of Lower Park, Trissillian, Truro, England, was similarly making no application for bail at this stage. Solicitor Jack Purcell, deputising for Myra Dineen, said his client Mr Gulay (31) of Schwabeenstrasse, Neu Ulm, Germany, was similarly making no application for bail. Judge Carroll said in the light of there being no bail applications, she was granting the Garda application and she remanded all four in custody to appear at Clonakilty District Court by video-link on July 15th.
The Journal
03-07-2025
- The Journal
Four men charged in connection with seizure of €31m worth of cocaine in Co Cork
FOUR MEN HAVE appeared before a court in West Cork charged in connection with the seizure of €31 million worth of cocaine in Courtmacsherry in west Cork on Tuesday. All four men have been remanded in custody. One of the men has an address in Germany whilst three of the accused are British nationals. Levant Gulay, Mark Doherty, Ben Sandford and Christopher Hibbett appeared before Bandon court charged in connection with the seizure of 440kgs of cocaine. They were brought to the court by members of the Garda National Drug and Organised Crime Bureau. Gardaí were assisted by the Armed Support Unit. Detectives from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of the four accused at garda stations in Bandon in the county and Togher in Cork city. All four men were charged with possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Meelmane, Courtmacsherry, Co Cork on 1 July 2025. Detective Garda John McWeeney gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of Mark Doherty (40) of Waterfoot Avenue, Glasgow, Scotland. He said that Mr Doherty made no reply when the charges were put to him. Detective Garda Shane Kiely gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of Ben Sandford (39) of Woodgreen, Drum Road, Keith, Moray, Scotland. He also made no reply to the charges. Detective Garda Marguerite Reilly gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Levant Gulay (31) of Schwabeenstrasse 76, Neu Ulm, Germany. He made no reply to the charges. Advertisement Detective Garda Gavin Curran, gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution of Christopher Hibbett (44) of Lower Park, Trissillian, Truro, England. Detective Garda Curran told the court that Mr Hibbett stated 'I'm fucking sorry, that's it' when he put the possession of cocaine for sale or supply charge to him earlier today at Togher Garda Station. Solicitors Myra Dineen and Plunkett Taaffe, representing Mr Gulay and Mr Doherty respectively, said that their clients were reserving their positions on bail. Both solicitors opted to stand in for Frank Buttimer for Mr Sandford and for solicitor Eddie Burke for Mr Hibbett. They confirmed that they were also not seeking bail for either man at this juncture. Sergeant Tom Mulcahy told Judge Joanne Carroll that gardai were seeking a remand in custody for all four men to Macroom District Court on 9 July. Judge Carroll remanded all four accused to appear in court on that date. Judge Carroll also requested that defence solicitors provide two days notice to gardai if their clients intend to make bail applications on the next occasion. All four men also have to supply statement of means to the court. The men were held under drugs trafficking legislation which allowed gardai to detain them for up to seven days. The arrests occurred as part of a Joint Task Force Drugs Interdiction Operation.
Sunday World
03-07-2025
- Sunday World
Man charged over seizure of €31m worth of cocaine in Cork says ‘I'm f****ng sorry'
Levant Gulay, Mark Dohery Ben Sandford and Christopher Hibbett appeared before Bandon court charged in connection with the seizure of 440kgs of cocaine. Four men have appeared before a court in West Cork charged in connection with the seizure of €31 million worth of cocaine in Courtmacsherry in west Cork on Tuesday. All four men have been remanded in custody. One of the men has an address in Germany whilst three of the men are British nationals. Levant Gulay, Mark Dohery Ben Sandford and Christopher Hibbett appeared before Bandon court charged in connection with the seizure of 440kgs of cocaine. They were brought to the court by members of the Garda National Drug and Organised Crime Bureau. Gardai were assisted by the Armed Support Unit. Levant Gulay (centre, blue jumper) of Neu Ulm, Germany pictured at Bandon District Court. Pic: Daragh Mc SweeneyCork Courts Limited Detectives from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of the four accused at garda stations in Bandon in the county and Togher in Cork city. All four men were charged with possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Meelmane, Courtmacsherry, Co Cork on July 1st 2025. Det Garda John McWeeney gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of Mark Doherty (40) of Waterfoot Avenue, Glasgow, Scotland. He said that Mr Doherty made no reply when the charges were put to him. Christopher Hibbett of Truro, Cornwall pictured at Bandon District Court. Pic: Daragh Mc SweeneyCork Courts Limited News in 90 Seconds - Thursday, July 3 Det Garda Shane Kiely gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of Ben Sandford (39) of Woodgreen, Drum Road, Keith, Moray, Scotland. He also made no reply to the charges. Det Garda Marguerite Reilly gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Levant Gulay (31) of Schwabeenstrasse 76, Neu Ulm, Germany. He made no reply to the charges. Det Garda Gavin Curran, gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution of Christopher Hibbett (44) of Lower Park, Trissillian, Truro, England. Det Garda Curran told the court that Mr Hibbett stated 'I'm fucking sorry, that's it' when he put the possession of cocaine for sale or supply charge to him earlier today at Togher Garda Station. Solicitors Myra Dineen and Plunkett Taaffe, representing Mr Gulay and Mr Doherty respectively, said that their clients were reserving their positions on bail. Both solicitors opted to stand in for Frank Buttimer for Mr Sandford and for solicitor Eddie Burke for Mr Hibbett. They confirmed that they were also not seeking bail for either man at this juncture. Sgt Tom Mulcahy told Judge Joanne Carroll that gardai were seeking a remand in custody for all four men who will appear in Macroom District Court on July 9th. Judge Carroll remanded all four accused to appear in court on that date. Judge Carroll also requested that defence solicitors provide two days notice to gardai if their clients intend to make bail applications on the next occasion. All four men also have to supply statement of means to the court. The men were held under drugs trafficking legislation which allowed gardai to detain them for seven days. The arrests occurred as part of a Joint Task Force Drugs Interdiction Operation.
BreakingNews.ie
03-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Four men appear in court charged with seizure of €31m worth of cocaine in Co Cork
Four men have appeared before a court in West Cork charged in connection with the seizure of €31 million worth of cocaine in Courtmacsherry in west Cork on Tuesday. All four men have been remanded in custody. One of the men has an address in Germany whilst three of the men are British nationals. Advertisement Levant Gulay, Mark Dohery, Ben Sandford and Christopher Hibbett appeared before Bandon court charged in connection with the seizure of 440kgs of cocaine. They were brought to the court by members of the Garda National Drug and Organised Crime Bureau. Gardai were assisted by the Armed Support Unit. Detectives from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of the four accused at garda stations in Bandon in the county and Togher in Cork city. All four men were charged with possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Meelmane, Courtmacsherry, Co Cork on July 1st 2025. Advertisement Det Garda John McWeeney gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of Mark Doherty (40) of Waterfoot Avenue, Glasgow, Scotland. He said that Mr Doherty made no reply when the charges were put to him. Det Garda Shane Kiely gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of Ben Sandford (39) of Woodgreen, Drum Road, Keith, Moray, Scotland. He also made no reply to the charges. Det Garda Marguerite Reilly gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Levant Gulay (31) of Schwabeenstrasse 76, Neu Ulm, Germany. He made no reply to the charges. Det Garda Gavin Curran, gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution of Christopher Hibbett (44) of Lower Park, Trissillian, Truro, England. Advertisement Det Garda Curran told the court that Mr Hibbett stated 'I'm fucking sorry, that's it' when he put the possession of cocaine for sale or supply charge to him earlier today at Togher Garda Station. Solicitors Myra Dineen and Plunkett Taaffe, representing Mr Gulay and Mr Doherty respectively, said that their clients were reserving their positions on bail. Both solicitors opted to stand in for Frank Buttimer for Mr Sandford and for solicitor Eddie Burke for Mr Hibbett. They confirmed that they were also not seeking bail for either man at this juncture. Sgt Tom Mulcahy told Judge Joanne Carroll that gardaí were seeking a remand in custody for all four men to Macroom District Court on July 9th. Judge Carroll remanded all four accused to appear in court on that date. Advertisement Judge Carroll also requested that defence solicitors provide two days notice to gardaí if their clients intend to make bail applications on the next occasion. All four men also have to supply statement of means to the court. The men were held under drugs trafficking legislation which allowed gardai to detain them for seven days. The arrests occurred as part of a Joint Task Force Drugs Interdiction Operation.
