Bail is denied to accused in €1.6m Cork cannabis case 

The refusal of bail to a man facing allegations that he brought €1.6m of cannabis (80kg) to Cork was appealed to the High Court, where it was refused again.

Killian McCarthy, solicitor, applied to have the next adjournment made peremptory against the State, if no DPP directions were available. The effect of such an adjournment is that a case can be struck out if certain progress — such as DPP directions — is not made.

Judge David Waters did not accede to this application on Monday, at Cork District Court, but said he might accede to it on the next date.

Xiaochen Han, aged 30, with an address at 907 Griffith’s Close, Birmingham, is charged with possession of cannabis and having the illegal drug for the purpose of sale or supply to others.

The accused man appeared by video link from prison with the assistance of a Mandarin interpreter. Mr McCarthy said the defendant’s mother had travelled to Cork to support her son.

Both counts — possession of cannabis and having the drugs for sale or supply — refer to Monday, July 6, at U Store It, Unit 24, Euro Business Park, Little Island, Co Cork.

Detective Garda Derry O’Brien had originally testified at Cork District Court that there was an objection to bail, based on the seriousness of the allegations and the belief of gardaí that the accused was a flight risk with no ties to this jurisdiction.

The detective said the case involved a joint investigation by Cork City Divisional Drugs Unit, the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, and Revenue and Customs, and the execution of a controlled delivery of the large shipment of cannabis to the unit at the business park in Little Island.

Det Gda O’Brien said: “Gardaí believe he is a flight risk and that he would flee the jurisdiction immediately if granted bail.

“He has zero ties to the jurisdiction and admitted travelling from the UK to Belfast and to Cork by train. 

"This was to avoid flagging immigration at airports with the Republic, as he did not have a visa to be here — he has come to the country illegally.”

Judge Waters was told the defence had €20,000 available, if required, as an independent surety.