A FORMER sailor on trial for allegedly importing almost 700kg of cannabis on a yacht has told a jury he believed the parcels contained coins.
Garage owner Mr John Ryan told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court his co accused, antiques dealer Mr Christopher O'Connell, asked him to sail to a point just "off the Moroccan coast. They waited off shore for a day or two.
Two Moroccans asked them to move further off shore. They did and at dawn the Moroccans came back and threw 28 wrapped bales on board. He never thought they contained cannabis. Mr O'Connell said there was no need to open them to check the contents.
He said Mr O'Connell originally hired him for a £12,000 fee to skipper a Spanish and Portuguese coastal cruise for a rich American and his daughter.
The Americans did not show up and Mr O'Connell said they had changed their minds about cruising. He asked Mr Ryan would he mind sailing to the Moroccan coastal area to collect some coins and artefacts. Mr Ryan said he saw nothing wrong in that and agreed.
Mr Ryan was giving evidence in his defence on the fourth day of the trial in which he and Mr O'Connell deny three charges arising out of the discovery of 693kg of cannabis resin aboard the yacht Karma of the East at Courtmacsherry, Co Cork on July 23rd, 1991.
Mr O'Connell (50), with addresses at Merrion Village, Dublin, and The Mews, Montenotte, Cork, and Mr Ryan (52), of Weavers Point, Co Cork, both have pleaded not guilty to unlawful importation of cannabis resin for the purpose of sale or supply on that date.
They also deny unlawful importation of it and unlawful possession of the cannabis on the same date.
The jury had heard the cannabis was discovered by Customs officers Micheal O Floinn and Mac Mathuna who went to Courtmacsherry after a news bullet in revealed the disabled yacht was being towed in by a lifeboat.
When one of the Customs officers told him the bales contained cannabis Mr Ryan replied "no way" and said if he had known that he would have dumped the bales overboard at sea.
Cross examined by Mr Paul O'Higgins SC (with Mr Patrick McCarthy), prosecuting, he said "he was shocked to learn they had carried cannabis.
Mr Ryan said he never thought of chartering a yacht in Spain for the Americans' cruise rather than bringing one from Dartmouth in England. He knew what type of boat he needed for such a job.
He denied Mr O'Higgins's suggestion that the reason the yacht was hired in Dartmouth was because it was necessary to sail back to Ireland with the cannabis.
The hearing continues before Judge Dominic Lynch.