Pomeroy haulier remanded over £1.7m drugs seizure

A POMEROY man arrested after police seized suspected cannabis with a street value of £1.7 million from a lorry at the weekend has been remanded in custody.

Peter O’Connor (41), of Loughdoo Road, appeared before Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday charged with being in concerned in the supply of a class B substance and possession of a class B controlled drug with the intent to supply.

The court heard that, on Sunday (October 8), police were engaged in a proactive enquiry on the supply of drugs. A lead led them to the home of the defendant and a search was conducted of his lorry.

Officers found the container to be containing a number of vehicle tyres. Further investigation found that, once opened up, the tyres in total contained 70kg of herbal cannabis and 120kg of cannabis resin.

The court was told that the amount of cannabis found had a street value of £1.7 million.

Police stated to the court that the defendant “appears to be living a life beyond his means” in relation to his home and his fleet of HGV vehicles.

They added that the amount of drugs would only be given to “someone of high standing within the criminal underworld”.

The police objected to bail on the grounds of a risk of re-offending in order to recoup the money lost by the drugs being seized, the risk of interfering with evidence and of the defendant being a flight risk.

Defending barrister, Craig Patton, told the court that his client had cooperated with the police by handing over his phone, giving them the PIN number to his phone and outlining how his haulage business works.

He added that O’Connor had put an advert out on Facebook – as many haulage drivers do – saying he was taking a load of concrete over to Scotland and would anybody like him to take goods back over as his lorry would be empty.

A man named ‘John’ got in touch saying he had a consignment of tyres he would like to have delivered from Scotland to Northern Ireland.

Mr Patton also attacked the police’s claim of O’Connor “living beyond his means”. He said the assumption of his client being high up in the drug trade had “no basis”. Also, that O’Connor and his partner had run their haulage business for ten years and that the house he lived in was built by himself.

District Judge Alana McSorley said this was “a significant drugs seizure” and refused bail on the grounds of a risk of interference with witnesses.

The case was adjourned to Dungannon Magistrates Court for November 1.