Three men were charged with the unlawful importation and possession of £14 million worth of cannabis resin in the Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
Almost a tonne of cannabis resin was found on a converted trawler, the Posidonia, which was boarded off the Fastnet Rock on the south-west coast. Fifty packages of cannabis resin were visible on the vessel.
The men, Mr Richard George Preece, Widdenham, London, Mr Barry Court and Mr Matthew Paul Simpkins, both from La Linea, Cadiz, Spain, pleaded not guilty to both charges.
The vessel was approached by the Naval Service vessel, LE Ciara, on November 16th, 1999, and detained at Schull pier.
The contents of the packages on board were sent to Dublin for analysis.
Mr Don McCarthy, for the State, said the State concluded the drugs were for sale or supply to someone else.
Judge A.G. Murphy warned the jury that the trial "could continue for weeks rather than days" because of legal debate.