Men deny intent to supply €649k cannabis
Two men appeared today at a magistrates court in Northern Ireland over the seizure of £450,000 (€649,000) worth of cannabis resin in Lurgan, Co Armagh.
Craigavon Magistrates Court was told that 59-year-old Michael William Kingham from Rosmoyle, Moyraverty in Craigavon and 41-year-old Phelim Fitzgerald Corey from Rowan Manor, Tullygally in Craigavon, were arrested in separate vehicles by uniformed police on the Lough Road in Lurgan on Thursday.
When charged, Mr Kingham denied possessing the cannabis resin with intent to supply but said: “That’s OK” in response to the charge of possessing the drugs.
Mr Corey denied both charges.
A detective constable told the magistrates court that Mr Kingham was driving a car and Mr Corey a van when they were both stopped a half a mile apart from each other.
They had both returned from Bolton in Lancashire and had said during interviews that they had gone there to collect furniture.
He confirmed police found the drugs concealed in three large bags at the back of the small van.
The court was told that Mr Kingham had said he had thought the bags were full of books.
Both men were scheduled to appear before Craigavon Magistrates Court again on Thursday via video link.
Resident magistrate Mandy Henderson granted Mr Kingham stringent bail conditions including the payment of sureties, a guarantee that he would not leave Northern Ireland and that he would report to police three times a week.
Mr Corey did notapply for bail and Mr Kingham was told he was expected to appear on Thursday by video link until the bail conditions were met.
