Trial views bags of powder seized after garda raid

Numerous bags of matte-white powder seized after a garda raid were today shown to the three judges sitting at the Special Criminal Court trial of Brian Rattigan, who is accused of possessing €1m worth of heroin.

Trial views bags of powder seized after garda raid

Numerous bags of matte-white powder seized after a garda raid were today shown to the three judges sitting at the Special Criminal Court trial of Brian Rattigan, who is accused of possessing €1m worth of heroin.

Rattigan (aged 31), with a last address at Cooley Road, Drimnagh, has pleaded not guilty to the possession of heroin and two counts of possession of the drug for sale or supply on Hughes Road South, Walkinstown, Dublin on May 21, 2008.

He has also pleaded not guilty to the possession of two mobile phones at Cell 42, E1 Landing, Portlaoise Prison while an inmate at the prison on May 22nd, 2008.

It will be the prosecution case that Rattigan used mobile phones to act as the “directing force” behind a €1m heroin deal from his cell in Portlaoise Prison.

Detective Garda Pat Fagan told counsel for the State, Mr John O’Kelly SC, that he called to the house on Hughes Road South early on the afternoon of May 22, 2008 and proceeded immediately to a shed at the rear of the property.

He said that there were two males present in the shed, playing darts.

Det Gda Fagan told the court that he searched a holdall bag left on the ground in the shed and cautioned both men, one of whom – the owner of the house - took responsibility for the contents of the bag.

He told the court that he then returned to the house and informed his colleagues that there were drugs in the shed, where he also found an electronic weighing scale and a mobile phone and charger.

The three-judges sitting at the trial were then shown items found in the shed, including numerous bags of matte-white powder which were contained in the holdall.

At the outset of the prosecution case, Mr O’Kelly told the court there would be evidence that heroin to the value of €1m was among the items found by gardai in the shed.

Detective Garda Robert Lambert told Mr O’Kelly that he uncovered a large amount of cash in a shopping bag at the foot of a bed upstairs in the house on Hughes Road South, as well as a bundle of notes concealed underneath clothes on top of a wardrobe and two more rolls of cash in the pocket of a suit jacket.

He said the majority of the notes were in €50 denomination and that the total value of the cash haul was €36,850.

Det Gda Lambert told Mr O’Kelly that he also found a list of names and numbers in a jacket hanging from the door of the same upstairs bedroom.

The court also heard from Detective Garda James McGeogh, who told Mr O’Kelly that during the search of the premises another man, Anthony Cannon, called to the house.

He said he knew Cannon, since deceased, from previous dealings, and that he searched him and seized his mobile phone.

The trial continues has been adjourned for this afternoon and will resume tomorrow.

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