THREE of four men charged in connection with the seizure of almost €31m worth of cocaine in Courtmacsherry in July have entered guilty pleas, a court heard on Tuesday..
They appeared before Judge John King via videolink at Clonakilty District Court.
They were previously charged with the possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Meelmane, Courtmacsherry on July 1st.
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Gardaí seized 440kg of the drug on that date.
At a court sitting in Bandon on Monday, the four men were charged with the possession of more than €13,000 worth of cocaine for the purpose of sale or supply contrary to Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.
All four men were also charged with the importation of cocaine contrary to Section 21 and Section 27 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1984.
Ben Sandford (39), of Woodgreen, Drumm Road, Keith, Moray, Scotland, and Christopher Hibbett (44), of Trissillian, Truro, Cornwall, England were charged with the possession of a rib to commit a criminal offence contrary to Section 183 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.
Mark Doherty (40) of Waterfoot Avenue, Glasgow, Scotland and Levent Gulay (31) with an address in Bavaria, Germany were charged with the possession of mobile phones to commit an offence contrary to Section 183 of the Criminal Justice Act.
Det Gda Joanne Browne of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau told Judge Joanne Carroll that Mark Doherty made no reply after charge and caution.
His solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said his client intended to plead guilty, and as acting agent for solicitor Frank Buttimer it was also Ben Sandford’s intention to plead guilty.
Solicitor Myra Dinneen, acting for Eddie Burke, said Christopher Hibbett also indicated he intends to plead guilty to the charges.
However Ms Dinneen, who represents Levent Gulay, said her client would reserve his position. All four accused consented to a further remand in custody.
The court heard that the director of public prosecutions has consented for all four to be tried on indictment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
Judge King adjourned the case to a sitting of the district court on December 4th.
