Four men charged with a €31 million drugs seizure in west Cork have been charged with a further three offences.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) has consented to Mark Doherty, Levant Gulay, Ben Sandford and Christopher Hibbett being tried in the Circuit Court if they enter guilty pleas.
Sgt Emer O’Connell told Bandon District Court on Monday that gardaí had received the DPP’s directions regarding the four men arrested after the seizure of 440kg (970lbs) of cocaine in July.
She said the DPP was consenting to the four men being tried on indictment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on signed pleas of guilty.
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All four were charged by gardaí last July with both possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Meelmane, Courtmacsherry, Co Cork on July 1st, 2025.
On Monday, all four were were back before Bandon District Court charged with a further charge of possession of more than €13,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply contrary to Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment for anyone caught in possession of more than €13,000 worth of drugs for sale or supply.
All four men were also charged with the importation of drugs contrary to Section 21 and Section 27 of the Misuse of Drugs 1984, again at Meelmane, Courtmacsherry, Co Cork, on July 1st, 2025.
And all four men were also charged with an offence contrary to Section 183 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 that they possessed an article or item in connection with the commission of a crime.
Both Mr Doherty and Mr Levant were charged with possessions of mobile phones while Mr Sandford and Mr Hibbet were each charged with possession of a rigid inflatable boat (rib), contrary to Section 183 of the Act.
Det Gda Joanne Browne, Gavin Curran and Shane Kiely of the Garda National Drug and Organised Crime Bureau gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to the four accused.
They told the court that none of the four made any reply to any of the three new charges when they were put to them after they were arrested, charged and cautioned in Bandon on Monday.
Solicitor, Plunkett Taaffe said that his client, Mr Doherty, of Waterfoot Avenue, Glasgow, Scotland, would be “taking a certain course” in relation to the charges and was not applying for bail.
And deputising for Frank Buttimer who represents Mr Sandford (39), Mr Taaffe said Mr Sandford, of Woodgreen, Drum Road, Keith, Moray, Scotland, would also not be applying for bail on the charges.
Solicitor Myra Dineen for both Mr Gulay (31) of Schwabeenstrasse 76, Neu Ulm, Germany, and Mr Hibbett (45), of Lower Park, Trissillian, Truro, England, were also not applying for bail on the charges.
Judge Joanne Carroll noted the position of all four accused and remanded them in custody on the new charges to appear again at Clonakilty District Court by video link on November 18th.
