Man remanded in custody after €360,000 cannabis find in Mayo town

A Mayo man has been remanded in custody after gardaí discovered cannabis with a combined value of over €360,000 at two properties on Rush Street in the county town.

Mark Conaty, Riverdale Court, Castlebar, appeared before Castlebar District Court today charged with four offences arising from the discoveries on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

Detective Garda Eoin McFadden told Judge Vincent Deane that he arrested Conaty at 1.47pm on May 20 (today) and charged him with two counts of possession of cannabis for sale or supply under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act and two counts of simple possession under Section 3, relating to finds at two separate locations on Rush Street on May 18 and May 19.

On Monday, May 18, gardaí found 18kg of cannabis, subject to analysis, at a property on Rush Street, with an estimated street value of €360,000.

A follow-up search the following day at a separate Rush Street address led to the discovery of further cannabis with a street value of €4,400.

Conaty made no reply after caution in respect of each of the four charges.

Sergeant John O'Reilly, court presenter, told the court that DPP directions had not yet been received and applied for Conaty to be remanded in custody.

Solicitor Gary Mulchrone, appearing for Conaty, said his client would not be making a bail application at this stage but indicated one may be made at the next court appearance.

Judge Deane remanded Conaty in custody to appear before Castlebar District Court on Friday for DPP directions.

Legal aid was granted after the court heard that Conaty is in receipt of disability allowance.

* Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.