Dad bailed after seizure of €193k worth of drugs

A Dublin father has been granted bail after his arrest in connection with the seizure of drugs with an estimated street value in excess of €190,000, reports Tom Tuite.

Tallaght man Stephen Fowler, aged 45, with no current fixed address, appeared before Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court on Saturday.

He is charged with possessing the drugs, including cocaine, cannabis and crystal meth, and having them for sale or supply, but has yet to indicate a plea.

The court appearance follows a joint operation conducted on Thursday by Tallaght gardaí and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

Gardaí stopped a vehicle travelling on the N7. During the course of a search, they discovered a large quantity of suspected cocaine with an estimated value of €100,000 concealed in the car.

The driver was arrested and detained under the provisions of drug trafficking legislation.

In follow-up searches at a residential address in the Old Bawn area of Tallaght, officers recovered further quantities of drugs, including cocaine, valued at €29,890, crystal methamphetamine worth €47,250, €9,520 of cannabis and oxycodone worth €7,000.

In evidence, Garda Róisín Daly told the court that Mr Fowler made no reply when charged. She confirmed there was no objection to bail subject to conditions being imposed.

Mr Fowler said he had a solicitor; however, he remained unrepresented due to the ongoing dispute between the Minister for Justice and solicitors over legal aid payment reforms.

The judge noted that the accused man’s income varied week by week from €500 to €1,500.

The garda said Mr Fowler had initially refused to state an address, and in court the man told the judge he lived on land in a caravan.

Judge Finan ordered him to sign on daily at Tallaght Garda Station and to notify them of his specific address when he goes there next.

He must also surrender his passport, not apply for new travel documents, and supply gardaí with a contact phone number where he can be reached at all times.

Judge Finan noted the total value of the drugs came to €193,000 and that gardaí were seeking a forensic certificate of analysis of the seizure. She adjourned the case for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions and ordered him to appear at Tallaght District Court on November 27.