A CORK antiques dealer paid £6,000 to charter a yacht on which enough cannabis to make seven million "reefers" was found at Courtmacsherry, Co Cork, in 1991, a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told.
A crewman said the dealer Mr Christopher O'Connell, told him that about 25 bales thrown on to the yacht off the Moroccan coast were for him. He presumed the packages contained antiques.
Prosecuting counsel Mr Paul O'Higgins SC told the jury that 693kgs of cannabis were found on the yacht, the Karma of the East when it was towed into Courtmacsherry. He said it was the prosecution case that Mr O'Connell and his co-accused Mr John Ryan, imported the cannabis knowingly.
Mr O'Connell (50) with addresses at Merrion Village Dublin 4, and The Mews Montenotte, Cork, and garage operator Mr Ryan (52) of Weavers Point, Co Cork, deny three charges each arising out of the drugs find. They have pleaded not guilty to unlawful importation of cannabis resin for sale or supply. They also deny unlawful importation and unlawful possession of the cannabis.
Mr Tony Millington of Dartmouth, Devon, said he was paid £6,000 in cash by Mr O'Connell for the hire of the Karma. Mr O'Connell paid a £1,500 deposit in May 1991 and the balance in June. Mr Ryan told him they were collecting an American and his daughter in Spain.
Mr Millington said the accused and three others arrived to collect the boat before the agreed charter date while he and his partner, Ms Patricia Wilcox, were still preparing it. It wasn't ready for sailing when they came.
Replying to Mr Luigi Rea for Mr O'Connell, the witness agreed that as far as he was concerned Mr Ryan was skipper of the vessel. Mr Millington agreed with Mr Kevin Haugh SC, for Mr Ryan, that Mr Ryan charted the Karma as skipper and the fees were paid by Mr O'Connell.
Mr John Veale told Mr McCarthy that around June 1991 he met Mr Ryan, whom he knew from sailing, and asked him if there were any delivery trips available. Mr Ryan said there might be in a few weeks. Shortly after that Mr Ryan told him there was a delivery of a yacht from Dartmouth to northern Spain. The following Sunday he met Mr Ryan, Mr O'Connell and two others at Cork Airport and they flew to England. They met Mr Millington and Ms Wilcox on the yacht at Dartmouth.
The yacht wasn't ready and he helped fit an auto pilot part on the following Thursday. Mr O'Connell left the party before they sailed and said he would meet them later. Mr Ryan was navigating when they sailed towards France.
They had to stop near Brest due to engine trouble and again at La Coruna in northern Spain, where they spent two days having further repairs done. More repairs were made at Bayona, near Vigo, and they sailed to Oporto in Portugal, where Mr O'Connell rejoined them.
Mr Veale said they sailed on to Villamoro where they waited for the Americans, who never arrived. Mr O'Connell was in charge and said they must have been delayed. He told Mr O'Connell he had to return to Ireland for a christening and the accused man asked him to hold on in case the Americans came.
A day before they were due to return to Ireland, the Karma sailed south. He asked the accused men about this and they said they were going south for a day and would then go north. They could have sailed about 60 miles. Mr Veale described how a boat came alongside the Karma just after dawn. About 25 bales were thrown on board. He asked Mr O'Connell about the bales and the accused replied "It's just stuff for myself." Witness presumed it was antiques.
The bales were stowed and they sailed for Ireland. They had continuous engine, rudder and bilge trouble along the way and ran short of food. Water caused a short circuit and the electrics were destroyed when they were off the Irish coast. They were under sail at this time and the situation was getting worse. The Karma was just rolling along and Mr Ryan agreed to call for the lifeboat. They were towed to Courtmacsherry.
Cross examined by Mr White, the witness agreed the State had withdrawn charges laid against him arising out of this matter. He denied that this was because of a deal that he would give evidence against Mr O'Connell.
He agreed with Mr Haugh that Mr Ryan had no hesitancy about calling the lifeboat. This was a most public way of coming ashore.
The trial continues.