DPP delay leads to €100k Cork drug case being struck out

The case against a 21-year-old man accused of having €79,000 worth of heroin and €21,000 worth of cocaine at his home in February was struck out because of the DPP delay in giving directions.

Scott Arundel appeared at Cork District Court by video link from prison, where the case had been marked peremptory against the State for DPP directions.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis confirmed that no directions were available yet. In that event, Judge Miriam Walsh struck out the case.

Where cases are struck out in such circumstances, it is open to the State to bring the charges again.

The background allegations are that gardaí executed a warrant at the defendant’s home at Harbour View Rd, Knocknaheeny.

Gardaí allegedly located a shopping bag under the stairs within the kitchen, and it allegedly contained a smaller plastic bag, within which were approximately 300g of suspected cocaine, valued at €21,000.

A black Nike backpack was also seized within the hot press, and this allegedly contained 20 individually wrapped quantities of suspected diamorphine, with a total weight of 565g. The value of the suspected diamorphine was €79,100. The total value of the suspected controlled drugs seized was €100,000.