THE skipper of the yacht on which almost 700 kgs of cannabis resin was discovered in Courtmacsherry, Co Cork, 1991 told gardai the operation must have cost £1 million mount, a jury at Dublin Criminal Court has heard.
But Mr John Ryan said his co accused, Mr Christopher O'Connell, was "only small fry" in operation. "It would have £1 million to organise wouldn't have that kind of money," Mr Ryan said.
He claimed Mr O'Connell, who hired him to skipper the vessel, said they were going on a "treasure hunt" to get gold coins. He never thought they were getting cannabis, even when off the Moroccan coast.
"I would have been cuckoo to leave that stuff on board if I knew what it was," Mr Ryan said after his arrest when the Karma of the East was towed by lifeboat into Courtmacsherry pier.
Mr O'Connell (50), with addresses at Merrion Village, Dublin, and The Mews, Montenotte, Cork, and Mr Ryan (52) of Weavers Point, Co Cork, both deny three charges each arising out of the discovery of cannabis resin in the yacht at Courtmacsherry on July 23rd, 1991.
They have pleaded not guilty to unlawful importation of cannabis resin for sale or supply on that date. They also deny unlawful importation of it and unlawful possession of the cannabis on the same date.
On the third day of the trial, the jury also heard customs officers describe finding 28 bales of what they suspected was cannabis resin in the yacht.
Customs officer Mr Micheal Floinn said a radio news item about a disabled yacht called Karma of the East being towed into Courtmacsherry by the lifeboat led him and his higher officer, Mr Antoin Mac Mathuna, to drive there from Cork.
They found the accused man and two other men, Mr John Veale and Mr Kieran O'Connell with the yacht. Mr O Floinn said Mr O Connell and Mr Veale had disembarked and he asked them to return to the yacht. They did.
Mr Mac Mathuna first discovered bales under floorboards beneath a bunk in one section of the yacht. He alerted his colleague and more customs officers and gardai were called. Twenty eight bales were discovered.
Forensic scientist Ms Mary O'Connor told prosecuting counsel Mr Paul O'Higgins SC she counted 4,206 slabs with 693 kgs of cannabis. Most bales had 100 slabs and others had up to 250 slabs. She analysed 281 and found they were cannabis resin.
Sgt Mary Dalton said Mr Ryan told her he was to be paid between £12,000 and £15,000 to skipper the Karma. He said he was contacted in February 1991 by Mr O'Connell, whom he had not seen for 20 years.
Mr O'Connell asked him to go on a treasure hunt for gold coins. He told Mr O'Connell what type of boat he required and he picked Mr John Veale for the crew because he knew him. He did not pick anyone else. Mr O'Connell paid for the charter of the yacht and for provisions.
Sgt Dalton said Mr Ryan claimed they had engine trouble from the start. He and Mr Veale stuck together and by the time the journey was over they were both totally sick of it. The whole boat "fell asunder" by the time they reached the Irish coast. They sent out a "mayday" call for help which came.
Mr Ryan told her that before they set out on the return journey they were south of Spain. There had been a radio message from shore about the parcels they eventually picked up and Mr O'Connell was told by "two darkies" in a boat there would be a delay.
The "darkies" spoke in French and this was translated by the yacht's chef, Mr Kieran O'Connell. Eventually, they picked up parcels off Cadiz in southern Spain and Mr Ryan said he believed they contained gold coins. He did not think of drugs.
Det Sgt Jerry Bradley said he arrested Mr Ryan at Courtmacsherry. When Mr Ryan was later charged with drugs offences, he replied "nothing to say to the first charge. On the second charge he replied: "If I knew that stuff was on board I would have been cuckoo to leave it there."
The hearing continues before Judge Dominic Lynch.