A man from County Derry has been remanded in custody charged in connection with drug finds valued at more than £400,000.
The 29-year-old man, who was granted anonymity, is charged with six charges of unlawfully supplying cannabis and cocaine and being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis on dates between September 2012 and July 2016.
Granting the man anonymity District judge Barney McElholm said that he did not think the threat existed outside of Derry and added that he would lift the order if he felt it was pointless.
A police officer connected the man to the charges and opposed bail on the grounds that police feared he could re-offend.
The officer said the charges related to an ongoing investigation involving the supply of class A and class B drugs. He identified two men as being what he described as ‘the principals’ in a drug gang with others being used to transport and distribute drugs.
The officer said that he believed the man in court to be a senior member of the drug gang who were supplying cocaine and cannabis.
District Judge McElholm said that he believed a prima facie case had been established although it remained to be seen how far up the supply chain the man went.
He added that there was ‘an innate risk of re-offending’ and said he had a duty to protect the public and refused bail, remanding the man in custody to appear again next month.
