Three men appear in court over €4.2m drug seizure in Cork

Three men have been remanded in custody after they were charged in connection with a €4.2 million cocaine seizure by gardaí and Revenue customs officers in a joint operation in Cork at the weekend.

The three men, Gentjan Dodaj (39) and his brother, Donatel Dodaj (22), both Albanian nationals with an address at Paradise Row, Athlone, Co Westmeath, and Daniel Afedoaei (22), a Romanian national of Slí an Aifreann, Athlone, Co Westmeath, appeared in court in Cork on Monday.

Each was charged with two offences in relation to the seizure of 60kg of cocaine by detectives from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau when they were brought before a special sitting of Cork District Court at Anglesea Street courthouse.

Each accused was charged with possession of cocaine, contrary to section three of the Misuse of the Drugs Act 1977 and possession of cocaine for sale or supply, contrary to section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 at Richmond, Dunkettle, Co Cork on August 5th, 2023.

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Det Garda Gavin Curran of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Gentjan Dodaj and he told the court that Mr Dodaj had made no reply to the charge when it was put to him after caution outside Togher Garda station.

Det Garda Val Russell, also of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Donatel Dodaj and Daniel Afedoaei and told the court that neither man made any reply when he put the charges to them after caution at Gurranabraher.

Sgt Pat Lyons said gardaí were seeking a remand in custody for a week for Gentjan Dodaj and defence solicitor Shane Collins Daly said his client was reserving his position in relation to bail and was consenting at this point to a remand in custody.

Sgt Lyons made similar applications in relation to Donatel Dodaj and Mr Afedoaei. The defence solicitor for both men, Dara Hayden, said both his clients were similarly reserving their positions regarding bail and were similarly consenting to a remand in custody at this point.

Mr Collins Daly applied for free legal aid for his client, saying Gentjan Dodaj had been employed until January and was in the process of setting up his own business but he had no assets and was not able to pay for legal representation.

Mr Hayden said Donatel Dodaj had arrived in Ireland only a month ago and was living with his brother and similarly had no assets and was not in receipt of any payments, while Mr Afedoaei had been working as a mechanic but was now unemployed and in receipt of social welfare.

Judge Treasa Kelly granted all three men free legal aid and remanded them in custody to appear again at Cork District Court on August 14th by video link and she directed both defence solicitors to give gardaí 24 hours’ notice if they intend to apply for bail on that date.