Two Americans held over €600,000 cannabis seizure at Dublin Airport

Tom Tuite

Two Americans accused of unlawfully importing €600,000 of cannabis from the United States to Ireland via Dublin Airport have been remanded in custody.

At approximately 1pm on Monday, airport customs personnel seized 30kg of the drug in two suitcases.

Gardaí from Ballymun Drugs Unit arrested Phung Sien Tran, 41, at the airport and co-accused Chavy Oeun, 37, in a south Dublin hotel later that day.

Both were detained under Drugs Trafficking legislation at a Garda Station, charged and held pending their appearances before Judge Ciaran Liddy at Dublin District Court on Wednesday.

They are accused of unlawful importation of cannabis, unlawful possession and having the drug for sale or supply contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act.

The pair have no addresses in Ireland but are from Washington State in the US.

They "made no reply" when charged and did not address the court.

Garda Pierce O'Dwyer objected to Ms Oeun's bail due to "obvious" flight risk concerns. He told the court it was alleged the co-defendant was caught red-handed with the cannabis in his luggage.

It was claimed he was on his way to meet Ms Oeun at the Clayton Hotel in Dublin 4.

Her hotel room was searched, and her phone and $3780 (€3,545) were seized, the court was told.

Garda O'Dwyer said the accused had no connections to Ireland or address or relatives here.

The contested bail hearing was told that she was due to return to the United States on a flight hooked for Wednesday.

Her solicitor David Bassett submitted it would take time to get the Director of Public Prosecutions directions and the cannabis seizure analysed.

He said his client had the presumption of innocence and argued that the garda's concerns could be met with conditions.

He told the court that a member of his client's family was due to come to Ireland to provide her with support and accommodation.

He submitted that her passport had been seized, and she would undertake not to look for a replacement and sign on at a Garda station as often as asked.

However, Judge Liddy had concerns she would not appear for her trial. He held there was a flight risk and declined bail.

Garda Tanya Shinken objected to Mr Tran's bail on the same grounds.

However, defence solicitor Eoghan O'Sullivan said Mr Tran was not making an application at this stage.

They were granted legal aid, remanded in custody pending directions from the DPP and will appear again in court next week.