THREE MEN CHARGED in connection with an arms seizure in Dublin have have been remanded in custody.
Members of the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation arrested four men on Tuesday at Greenogue Business Park where 15 firearms and 1,300 rounds of ammunition were recovered.
They were detained at Ronanstown and Clondalkin Stations under the Offence against the State Act.
Three of them were brought by armed gardaí in unmarked cars with blacked out windows to the Criminal Courts of Justice to make an appearance before Judge Anthony Halpin at Dublin District Court this afternoon.
Declan Brady, 50, from The Park, Wolstan Abbey, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Johnathon Harding, 44, of McNeill Court, Sallins, Co Kildare and James Walsh, 33, with an address at Neilstown Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, made no application for bail and the three men were remanded in custody to appear via video-link at Cloverhill District Court next Wednesday.
They each face the same three charges, under the Firearms Act, for unlawful possession of five revolvers, 20 rounds of ammunition and a silencer on Jan. 24 at a unit in Greenogue Business Park, in Rathcoole, Co Dublin.
The charges state the firearms were Smith and Wesson, Zastava and Rossi make, five and six shot revolvers.
The men made individual appearances and did not address the court. They have not yet indicated how they will plead and the judge was told that further serious charges could be brought.
Detective Sergeant Emmet Casserly told Judge Halpin that Brady replied “no” when he was charged at 1.14pm today. He said there would be an objection to bail.
Defence solicitor Anarine McAllister told the court that there was no application for bail at this stage and she asked that her client would get medical treatment in custody. Judge Halpin ordered that all necessary medical attention would be afforded to Brady, who was wearing a grey hooded top, black bottoms and black shoes.
Judge Halpin asked if directions from the DPP were available.
Detective Superintendent Tony Howard told him there were preliminary instructions and it was anticipated that there will be “further serious charges”.
The second defendant, James Walsh, was wearing a grey hooded top and lighter grey bottoms with black and white runners. Detective Sergeant Michael Cuffe said Walsh was charged at 1.24pm after which he “made no comment to each charge”. Detective Sergeant Cuffe said he was aware that there would not be a bail application at this stage, which was confirmed by defence barrister David Staunton.
Staunton asked if that case could also be adjourned until Wednesday. An application for legal aid was deferred to allow time for a statement of means to be prepared.
The third man to appear before the court was Harding and Detective Sergeant Paul Curran said that the 44-year-old made no reply when he was charged at 1.06pm today.
His solicitor Brian Coveney told Judge Halpin that a similar order could also be made in relation to his client who did not apply for bail today. Free legal aid was granted to him after the judge noted that there was no objection from gardaí.
A fourth man arrested as part of this investigation was released without charge on Wednesday and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
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