Four remanded after discovery of alleged drugs laboratory in west Cork

Three men and a woman have been remanded in custody after they were charged in connection an alleged cocaine extraction laboratory in Co Cork.

Sean McManus from Burrowfield Road, Baldoyle, Dublin; William and Dean Gilsenan, both of Kilmahuddrick Green, Clondalkin, Dublin; and Molly Sloyan, from Abbey Court, Kinsale but with an address at Benidorm, Alicante, Spain, were brought before Bandon District Court amid tight security.

All four were charged with the same two offences – possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Seascape, Dromleigh, Bantry, Co Cork on November 26th, 2017 contrary to Section 3 and Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Det Garda Andrew Manning gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution against Dean Gilsenan (26) and told the court the made no reply to either charge. Det Garda Colin O’Mahony gave similar evidence in relation to his father, William Gilsenan (51).

Parties preparing for election within a couple of months

---

Frances Fitzgerald secures nomination to run in next election

---

Frances Fitzgerald failed to meet high standards she set for herself

---

Fitzgerald crisis shakes faith in Varadkar among some in FG

---

Det Garda Padraig Sleator gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Mr McManus (36) and said he made no reply to either charge.

Det Garda Shannon Ryan similarly told the court that Ms Sloyan (25) made no reply to either charge.

Gardaí objected to bail for all four on the grounds of the seriousness of the charges and the strength of the evidence against them and in the case of Mr McManus, Dean Gilsenan and Ms Sloyan that they posed a flight risk because all had been living in or had given addresses in Spain.

All four detectives alleged that all four accused had all been found at the scene of a cocaine extraction laboratory where a chemical called Isopropanol was being used to leach cocaine from fabric imported from Brazil. Gardaí recovered a kilo of cocaine worth in excess of €70,000.

Objecting to bail for Dean Gilsenan, Det Garda Manning said the State would allege a package of fabric embedded with cocaine was posted to his address in Dublin while Isopropanol was posted to him at an address in Kinsale and paid for using a credit card with his name.

Objecting to bail for Mr McManus, Det Garda Sleator said it was alleged that Mr McManus had instructed his co-accused on how to extract cocaine from fabric using Isopropanol and had sent them a video on how to carry out the process.

Objecting to bail for Mr Gilsenan snr, Det Garda O’Mahony said that the state would allege that he was at Seascape in Bantry from November 13th and was left in charge of the operation there from then until the premises was searched under warrant on November 26th.

And objecting to bail for Ms Sloyan, Det Garda Ryan said the State would allege that she organised flights for her co-accused to Ireland, a house for them to stay in Kinsale, the ordering of Isopropanol and the rental of the house in Bantry where the cocaine extraction laboratory was found.

Insp Brian Murphy told Judge Mary Dorgan that gardaí believed the cocaine extraction operation had “at its core is an organised crime group with international links” which led gardaí to believe the accused, who may face further charges, would abscond if granted bail,

Solicitor for Dean Gilsenan, Pat Horan, said his client was reserving his position on bail before Judge Dorgan said she was refusing bail to the other three accused on the grounds of the seriousness of the charges and remanded all four in custody to appear at Clonakilty District Court on December 5th.