Over €5,300 worth of ‘speed' found in Bantry apartment

A DRUG squad search of an apartment in Bantry resulted in the seizure of €5,334 worth of ‘speed’ and €243 worth of cannabis.

Edgars Minconoks (30), formerly of the Briar Apartment at Bridge Street, Bantry, but with a current address of 33 Alden Grove in Douglas was represented by Flor Murphy, solicitor.

Sgt Brian Harte said the gardaí received confidential information that the accused was in possession of controlled drugs and that he had been selling cocaine in Cork. 

The sergeant said it was on the basis of that information that a search warrant was issued and Det Gda Shannon Ryan carried out the search. 

The accused was not there at the time, but when he returned at 8.35pm he met with gardaí and, according to his solicitor, ‘made certain admissions’.

Mr Murphy said his client, who has six previous convictions – none of which are drugs-related – was pleading guilty to possession of cannabis.

The solicitor said the cannabis was for his own personal use and Judge James McNulty fined him €300 for that offence.

In mitigation, the solicitor said his client, who is from Latvia, but had been working in a fish factory in Bantry, is no longer a user and the accused produced three urinalysis tests to show that he was drug-free over the last three months.

However, on the more serious charge of having speed at the apartment at 8.35pm on April 19th 2018 for the purpose of sale or supply, the accused was sentenced to eight months imprisonment.

Judge McNulty declined to suspend the sentence, saying: ‘Taking into consideration the quantity, and considering that he has no addiction issues, this man has chosen to involve himself in the sale and supply of controlled drugs purely for profit.’

The judge said he would give him credit for entering a guilty plea and the fact that he co-operated with the gardaí. Mr Murphy asked for recognisances to be fixed for an appeal.