Second man charged after Dublin drug and assault rifle seizure
Tom Tuite
A second man has appeared in court after gardaí uncovered cannabis worth about €770,000 and two loaded assault rifles in a north Co Dublin shed on Tuesday.
James Kiernan, 28, of Surglastown, Co Dublin, was charged with possessing cannabis for sale or supply at his home address and possessing drugs at a second location, in Jordanstown, Oldtown.
It follows a search operation by gardaí with the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT). He appeared before Judge John Brennan at Dublin District Court on Friday but did not seek bail.
Garda Sean Blanchard said Mr Kiernan “made no reply” when charged at Finglas station on Thursday evening.
Judge Brennan deferred ruling on a legal aid application pending a statement of means being furnished by the accused, who has yet to indicate a plea.
He was remanded in custody pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions and will appear at Cloverhill District Court on September 5th.
His hearing follows the court appearance of co-accused, Andrew McNaughton, aged 51, who was charged with drug offences after the search of a van locked in a large shed at his home address in Jordanstown, Oldtown.
The unemployed single man was denied bail on Thursday after a judge ruled that he would not attend his trial.
He has been charged with unlawful possession of cannabis and with having it for sale or supply.
Garda Brian O’Carroll alleged that the evidence against Mr McNaughton was strong.
Garda O’Carroll told a contested bail hearing that officers entered his property pursuant to a search warrant. They located and seized 38.5 kilogrammes of cannabis herb.
The court heard that the seizure included an AR-15, branded Colt M16A1 assault rifle with a magazine containing 22 rounds, a Heckler and Koch 416 assault rifle with a magazine containing 15 rounds of ammunition, and a further 98 rounds of ammunition.
His bail hearing was told that the drugs and guns were in a Nissan Primastar van parked in a locked shed on the property where he was the sole resident.
Garda O’Carroll stated that the AR-15 Colt M16 was standard issue for American military forces, and the Heckler and Koch gun was used by special forces worldwide, including Ireland’s Army Ranger Wing.
The garda claimed Mr McNaughton, who has no prior criminal convictions, was an essential cog in an organised crime group; his shed was being used to store the illicit drugs.
Cross-examined by the defence, the garda agreed the accused had not been charged with the guns, but he added, “not at this juncture”.
Counsel stressed Mr McNaughton lived all his life in Ireland, his father and brother were deceased, and he could live with his mother, who resides at a different address.
In his garda interview, the accused claimed not to know about the weapons, which he reiterated when he gave evidence at the bail hearing.
