Derry man on drugs charges refused bail

A man who police describe as a ‘trusted and important’ member of an organised crime gang responsible for trying to import more than £2 million worth of drugs into the North has been refused bail.
The Derry man who cannot be named as an anonymity order has been imposed by the court faces a total of 12 charges relating to conspiring to supply and being concerned in the supply of class a and class b drugs between December 2013 and August 2014.
Opposing bail a detective told the court that this man was a member of an organised crime gang headed by a man from Derry who is now in custody.
He said that police intercepted six different drug operations with drugs valued at £2.1 million.
The officer said that they believed the defendant was involved in five of these operations.
He said that the man had a mobile he used for friends and family and another mobile he used during drug operations and that there was evidence of ‘significant contact’ with the principal in the gang on his ‘dirty phone.’
The police officer also said there would be evidence that this man was in the vicinity of the drugs.
Bail was opposed on the grounds that the man could flee the jurisdiction and that he could re-offend in order to recoup the losses the gang had suffered.
Defence solicitor Mr. Maeliosa Barr said there was no question his client would not turn up and asked the officer had the man handed himself in to police and was told he had.
Deputy District Judge Peter King said that this was clearly ‘a significant and sophisticated’ crime gang.
He said one of his concerns was the amount of drugs involved and the sophistication of the organisation behind it.
He refused bail and the man was remanded in custody to appear again on May 14.