A British businessman with Irish connections was remanded in custody for a week by an English court charged with attempting to smuggle cannabis worth £12 million into Britain,
Mr David Huck (50), who lived in Co Clare until three years ago, appeared in Plymouth Magistrates' Court yesterday amid tight security.
Mr Huck and three other men - Mr Mark Tacey (42), of no fixed address; a French national, Mr Patrice Mayer (36 with an address in Baden Wurttemberg, Germany, and a Dane, Mr Mads Ole Tvede (34), from Copenhagen were arrested at sea last Sunday on a 40 foot yacht, the Fata Morgana. Four tonnes of cannabis were found on board the vessel, which had allegedly transported the drugs from north Africa. British customs officials are still escorting the boat to the UK.
The other eight men remanded were Mr Raymond Gilholme (46), of no fixed address; Mr Leslie Jay (36), Mr Amarjit Singh (26), and Mr Anthony Coles (26), all from Cardiff; Mr Paul Davis (44), of no fixed address; brothers Mr David Bannister (42) and Mr Michael Bannister (38), from Hull; and Mr Richard Al sop (32) and Mr Norman Hitchens (33), from Hayes, west London. They were arrested at various locations in England.
A Bristol woman and a Cheltenham man have been bailed by customs pending further inquiries.