Four men arrested in connection with the largest cocaine seizure to date have been remanded in continuing custody after appearing amid tight security at Clonakilty District Court in west Cork.
Perry Wharrie (47), Joseph Daly (40), Martin Wanden (44) and Gerard Hagan (23) had already been charged in connection with the discovery of more than €100 million worth of cocaine found floating in 61 bales in Dunlough Bay, Mizen Head, on July 2nd.
Supt Liam Horgan of Bantry Garda station applied yesterday to have Mr Wharrie, who is charged with possessing cocaine and possessing cocaine for sale or supply, remanded in continuing custody to appear again at Cloverhill District Court in Dublin on July 31st.
Mr Wharrie's solicitor Ciarán Shiels said his client, from Pyrles Lane, Loughton, Essex, had instructed him to formally object as he was concerned that he would be held in the D1 secure unit of Cloverhill Prison, a highly restrictive regime. Mr Shiels said Mr Wharrie was an English citizen and remanding him to Cloverhill would further isolate him in circumstances where the State's case against him and the other three was circumstantial, especially as they had all started to settle at Cork Prison.
Judge James McNulty said he did not believe he had any input in where a prisoner was detained save for exceptional circumstances, and he did not believe such circumstances applied in this case.
He remanded Mr Wharrie in custody to Cork Prison to appear again at Cloverhill District Court.
Supt Horgan also applied to have Joseph Daly, Carrisbrooke Avenue, Bexley, Kent, Martin Wanden of no fixed address and Gerard Hagan, Hollowcroft, Liverpool, remanded in custody to also appear at Cloverhill District Court on July 31st.
Mr Shiels said Mr Daly was concerned that his wife was due to travel from Britain to visit him in Cork Prison on Friday and that he might be transferred in the meanwhile to Cloverhill. He asked that she be notified if her husband was moved to Dublin.Supt Horgan gave an undertaking that gardaí would notify Mr Shiels if Mr Daly was moved and Judge McNulty remanded all three remaining accused in custody at Cork Prison to appear again at Cloverhill District Court on July 31st.
Security remained tight at Clonakilty courthouse for yesterday's appearance of the four men with about 40 gardaí, including up to 20 plainclothes and armed gardaí, outside for the 10-minute hearing. The Garda helicopter hovered overhead.