Two men have appeared in court charged in relation to the seizure of cocaine valued at an estimated €5 million following a Garda operation in Co Kildare.
The two accused were arrested on Tuesday when the drugs were found in the Allenwood area during an operation by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau,
Willem Hols (61), from the Netherlands, and Irishman Anthony Coyne (56), appeared before Judge Desmond Zaidan at Naas District Court on Thursday. Both men were arrested at Riverside, Bluetown, Allenwood North, under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act.
Some 72kg of cocaine was discovered as part of a surveillance operation on a vehicle, which was searched along with a residential property.
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Mr Hols, with an address at Prince Willian Alexander Park in Veenendaal in the Netherlands, is charged with possession of cocaine for the purposes of sale or supply. He also faces a second charge of possession of cocaine.
No bail application was made by Mr Hols, who the court was told was in poor health, and he was remanded in custody to appear before the court gain next Wednesday, February 19th.
Mr Coyne, with an address at Riverside, Bluetown, Allenwood North, Kildare, faces two charges of possessing cocaine with intent to sell or supply it to others. He also faces two charges of possession of cocaine.
Mr Coyne’s appearance before the court was adjourned to Cloverhill District Court to Friday to allow his solicitor attend so the opportunity of applying for bail could be taken up.
