Man appears in court after major West Cork drug seizure

A man has appeared in court in connection with a major drugs seizure following a search operation in Bantry in West Cork.

Detective Andrew Manning told Macroom District Court that he arrested 45-year-old Ronan O’Sullivan, of 4 Slip Heights, Bantry, at Bandon Garda Station last Tuesday.

Sergeant Trish O’Sullivan said Mr O’Sullivan was charged with one count of possession of illegal drugs, contrary to Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977 and one count of possession of illegal drugs for sale or supply, contrary to Section 15 of the same act. He made no reply.

Judge Joanne Carroll said bail would be subject to the conditions that Mr O’Sullivan lived at his home address; signed on every Monday and Friday at Bantry Garda Station between 9am and 8pm, and that he provided a mobile phone number on which he could be contacted at all times.

The conditions also instructed him to surrender his passport and European travel card; not to leave or make plans to leave the jurisdiction; not to associate with known drug users or dealers; and observe a curfew from 10pm to 6am.

Mr O’Sullivan was remanded on bail to appear again at Bantry District Court on March 12 on his own bond of €300. Legal aid was granted to defence solicitor Flor Murphy who told the court that his client was currently not working and had provided a statement of means.

Mr O’Sullivan was arrested along with another man when gardaí carried out searches under warrant at a number of locations in Bantry on Tuesday.

• Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme