Three charged after €210,000 heroin seized in joint policing operation

THREE people have appeared in court charged in connection with a major drugs seizure outside Dundalk last weekend.

Heroin with an estimated street value €210,000 was seized by Gardaí after a car and a truck were stopped shortly after 3pm last Saturday as part of investigations conducted by Gardai and the PSNI.

It is alleged that 1.5 kilos of heroin were found in the car.

Martin Murphy (41) with an address at Cuirt Droim Art, Carrickmacross, Viktoras Aksinavicius (24) with addresses in Newry and Carrickmascross, and Auerliya Aleksejeva (30) of no fixed abode appeared before a special sitting of Drogheda District Court on charged in connection with the seizure.

All three re charged with unlawful possession of a controlled drug and having drugs for sale or supply on August 20.

Detective Garda Brian McDermott from the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau told Judge William Hamill he arrested Murphy on the N1 Northbound at 3.25pm and charged him.

The detective said he would have objections to bail because of the seriousness of the charge, the fact that the accused had an address in Northern Ireland and holds a Northern driving licence and travels north regularly for work.

However, Murphy’s solicitor said he currently resides with his girlfriend in Carrickmacross and the address in Northern Ireland is an old one. She said his mother Bernadette Martin, an agency nurse, was in a position to provide €10,000 as surety.

She said Murphy was using a work van when he was arrested and it was very likely that employment would be terminated following his arrest. Garda Marguerite Reilly said she arrested Auerliya Aleksejeva near the Ballymac Roundabout.

Garda Reilly said she had concerns about bail as Aleksejeva had failed to give Gardaí a valid address.

However, Aleksejeva’s solicitor said the accused was in a relationship with Viktoras Aksinavicius and his mother had said they could both reside with her. She said her partner’s mother and stepfather may be able to provide surety of €10,000.

The court heard that while Aksinavicius gave an address in Monaghan he has been living outside the jurisdiction at an address in Newry for the past month.

Judge Hamill said that having regard to the evidence and the objections to bail given he was refusing bail to Aksinavicius and remanded the defendant in custody to appear before Cloverhill Court on August 26th.

He remanded Auerliya Aleksejeva and Martin Murphy in custody with consent to bail with strict bail conditions including independent sureity of €15,000, that they surrender their passports, sign on daily at Carrick Garda Station and provide gardaí with a mobile phone number.

Aleksejeva is to appear at Dundalk District Court on August 25 while Martin will appear before Cloverhill on August 26.