Four men have been remanded in custody after being charged in connection with the seizure of an estimated €31m worth of cocaine in West Cork on Tuesday.
There was tight security both outside and inside Bandon District Court as all four — two with addresses in Scotland, one in the UK, and one in Germany — were brought to court from two separate garda stations, where they had been held since the major Joint Task Force drug interdiction operation in the Courtmacsherry area.
The accused are Christopher Hibbett, 45, of 3 Lower Park, Trisillian, Truro, Cornwall, UK; Mark Doherty, 40, of Waterfoot Road, Glasgow, Scotland; Ben Sandford, 39, of Drum Road, Keith, Moray, Scotland; and Levant Gulay, 31, of Schwabenstrasse 76, Neu-Ulm, Germany.
Judge Joanne Carroll heard evidence of arrest, charge, and caution in respect of each of the accused from detective gardaí attached to the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
Each man was charged with two offences under Section 3 and Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act:
- That they were in possession of a controlled drug, cocaine, at Meelmane, Courtmacsherry, Co. Cork, on July 1, 2025,
- And that they possessed the drug for the purpose of sale or supply, in contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.
The court was told that Mr Doherty, Mr Sandford, and Mr Gulay made no reply to the charges.
Detective Garda Gavin Curran told the judge that Mr Hibbett made no reply to the Section 3 charge.
However, when presented with the Section 15 charge — possession of cocaine with intent to sell or supply — he replied: “I’m fucking sorry – that’s it.”
There was no application for bail by any of the accused, and Judge Carroll remanded all four in custody to appear again before Macroom District Court on July 9.
An interpreter was present to assist Mr Gulay.
Each of the accused is expected to apply for free legal aid, and Judge Carroll instructed them to prepare a statement of means.
She also stated that the State would require at least 48 hours’ notice of any bail application.
