Two men charged in connection with €2.2m drug seizure

Two men have appeared in court charged with a €2.2 million drug seizure after an alleged "handover" of cocaine in a shopping bag was intercepted by gardaí.

The men were arrested in Blanchardstown in Dublin last Friday after an estimated €1.8m worth of cocaine was discovered in a Smyths shopping bag while other drugs were seized in follow up searches.

The two men appeared before Dublin District Court charged with possession, and sale or supply of drugs as a result of an operation carried out by the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT).

David Royle of Crumlin Road, Crumlin appeared before Judge Stephanie Goggins charged with six counts of possession and sale or supply of drugs.

Garda Stephen Byrne from the DCRT gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution, saying the IT technician made no reply when charged last night.

Garda Byrne told the court that the 62-year-old was observed parking his car beside his co-accused, Thomaz Nowosade, in a public carpark in Blanchardstown on 28 August.

It's alleged that Mr Nowosade, of Knightsgate, Rush, Co Dublin took a Smyths bag carrying an estimated €1.8m of cocaine out of his car and placed it in the boot of Mr Royle’s car.

The court heard that gardaí stopped and searched Mr Royle’s car and found 18kg of suspected cocaine in the bag and a further 2kg of cocaine in Mr Nowosade’s vehicle.

A follow up search carried out in Mr Royle’s house on Crumlin Road resulted in the seizure of MDMA and cannabis bringing the total seizure to an estimated €2.2m.

Gardaí carried out a further search of Mr Nowosade’s car this morning and discovered more suspected cocaine that has yet to be tested, the court was told.

Garda Stephen Byrne objected to bail for Mr Royle saying he believed he was a "trusted member of an organised crime group" and the drugs would have been distributed in the Dublin metropolitan area.

Barrister Patrick Byrne, defending Mr Royle, said his client has the presumption of innocence, was not previously known to gardaí and has no history of evading justice.

Judge Stephanie Goggins granted bail on his own bond of €10,000 depositing €5,000 in cash.

Mr Royle must reside on Crumlin Road, sign on three times a week and abide by a curfew of 11am-7pm.

He was not in a position to take up bail today so was remanded in custody with consent to bail and will appear before Cloverhill District Court on Friday.

Thomaz Nowosade appeared before Judge Mark O’Connell in a separate court in the Courts of Criminal Justice this afternoon.

The 53-year-old is charged with four counts, two of drug possession and two of possession with intent to sell or supply.

Garda Colin Byrne from the DCRT said a phone was also seized which he believed had the sole purpose of organising drug distribution with an encryption device.

Mr Nowosade’s barrister Patrick Byrne BL said his client knew nothing about the drugs and he denied that he was a flight risk, saying the Polish national has been living in Ireland for 20 years and his wife and son were in court today.

Judge O’Connell remanded Mr Nowosade in custody with consent to bail with a lodgement of €5,000 of his own cash and an independent surety.

He must reside in Rush, sign on three times a week at Balbriggan Garda Station and surrender his passport.

Both men will appear before Cloverhill District Court on Friday.