Woman arrested after €200,000 worth of cannabis allegedly seized by gardaí in Cork

A €200,000 stash of cannabis was allegedly seized by gardaí and they arrested a 45-year-old woman in Glanmire at the weekend.

Detective Garda Rory Fogarty described the arrest made as part of the Garda's Operation Tara when he gave evidence at Cork District Court on Monday.

Det Garda Fogarty said gardaí attached to the Divisional Drugs Unit in Cork City seized €200,000 worth of suspected cannabis. 

Aoife O’Rourke, of 49 Chestnut Drive, Fruithill Manor, Graiguecullen, Co Carlow, was arrested, charged, and cautioned at 8pm on Saturday, February 28.

She was charged with possession of cannabis and having the drug for sale or supply on February 28 at the M8 motorway, Ballinvinny, Glanmire, Co Cork.

It was alleged that a vehicle was searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act and that 10kg of suspected cannabis was seized in the operation in conjunction with gardaí from the Eastern Region.

Ms O’Rourke made no reply to the charges.

Sergeant John Dineen said an adjournment of the case was required to allow time for forensic analysis of the suspected cannabis and for directions to be obtained from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Det Garda Fogarty said there was no objection to bail being granted to the accused in this case on certain conditions, namely that she would sign on at Carlow Garda Station every Tuesday and Thursday, stay out of Cork city and county except for court appearances, surrender her passport and undertake not to apply for any new travel documents, not to leave the jurisdiction, and to provide a phone number to gardaí at which she can be contacted at all times.

The case was adjourned by Judge Mary Dorgan until June 8 as the judge added a condition putting the defendant on her own bond of €5,000, without a requirement to lodge any portion of it.

Barrister Patrick Horgan represented the accused at Cork District Court.

This case forms part of Operation Tara, an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy launched by the Garda commissioner in July 2021 to disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute drug trafficking networks.