Three Portuguese men remanded in custody following discovery of €640K cannabis growhouse
Three Portuguese men have been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with cultivating cannabis following the discovery of a €640,000 grow house in Dublin.
Gardaí arrested nine people in Dublin and Co Wexford after a cannabis cultivation unit was allegedly discovered during the search of a commercial premises in Dublin's north inner city on Saturday.
In excess of 800 cannabis plants at various stages of growth, with an estimated value of €640,000 were seized. Four people were arrested at the scene. Three of them faced a court hearing today.
Miguel Lima, 27, and Hugo de Silva, 23, who are of no fixed abode and Pedro Barbosa, 34, with an address at Suffolk Street, Rochdale, England, appeared before Judge Bryan Smyth at Dublin District Court.
They had been held at Mountjoy Garda station following their arrest and were charged under Section 17 of the Misuse of Drugs Act for cultivating cannabis at a premises on Frederick Lane North on March 2.
Evidence of arrest charge and caution was given by detectives Stephen Gillespie, Mark O’Neill and Liam Brennan of the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau.
The court heard there would be an objection to bail.
The judge was told Mr Lima replied “I was arrested on the street not in the address” after he was charged. His solicitor Michael French told the court his client will make a bail application for Friday.
He also requested that Mr Lima would be given medical attention because he has psychiatric issues.
His co-defendants made no reply when charged.
Solicitor Clare Barry, for Mr de Silva also said her client would apply for bail on Friday.
Judge Bryan Smyth acceded to a request from barrister Kitty Perle, for Mr Barbosa, to adjourn his case until next Monday.
All three were granted legal aid and were remanded in custody pending their bail hearings.
They did not address the court and listened to the proceedings with the help of an interpreter.
Searches were also carried out at locations in Co Wexford. Two others were released without charge while four more remained in Garda custody today.
