Tom Tuite
A retired Garda Superintendent has been charged over a €600,000 cannabis seizure in Dublin last week.
Officers attached to the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) recovered 30 kilos of cannabis herb during search operations on September 29th.
The 61-year-old was arrested and detained at Irishtown Garda station, under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007.
John Murphy was charged on Sunday at 8.07 pm and held overnight pending his appearance before Judge Bryan Smyth at Dublin District Court on Monday.
GNBCI Detective Sergeant Brian Hanley told the court that Mr Murphy "made no reply after caution" and he was handed a copy of the charge sheet.
The former senior garda is charged with possessing cannabis worth more than €13,000 at his home in a north Dublin suburb on September 29th. The offence is contrary to section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act which can carry a 10-year sentence.
He has not yet indicated how he will plead.
Passport seized
Detective Sergeant Hanley did not object to bail but told Judge Smyth that he was seeking several conditions. He had already discussed it with Mr Murphy’s solicitor Robert Purcell, he said.
The court ordered the garda not to read out Mr Murphy's address. That followed a request from Mr Purcell, who cited his client's personal security. His client cannot contact four people who cannot be named either for the same reason.
Judge Smyth noted that gardaí seized Mr Murphy's passport.
He set bail in Mr Murphy’s own bond of €500 with a €20,000 independent surety.
The accused must notify gardaí about approving a surety, Judge Smyth ordered.
Sign on
Once bail is taken up, Mr Murphy must reside at the address provided, sign on daily at a Garda station, and not apply for a duplicate passport.
The judge ordered him to provide gardaí with a contact phone number within 24 hours of release.
Furthermore, he warned him that he must not contact the four unnamed individuals.
Judge Smyth remanded him in custody with consent to bail on these terms to appear at Cloverhill District Court via video link on Friday.
Dressed in a black zipped jacket, dark trousers and wearing a blue facemask, the former senior garda did not address the court.
