A Dublin construction firm owner and three employees have appeared in court, charged in connection with the seizure of €5.1m worth of cannabis.
Dublin District Court heard that the drugs were imported into the State among a consignment of coffee tables.
Director of Streamville Construction John Sheppard, who is 61, 51-year-old company secretary Dermot Hogan, 43-year-old gas fitter Anthony Daly, and 27-year-old Jason Gibbons were charged with possessing 255kg of cannabis and having it for sale or supply at Carndonagh Road, Donaghmede, Dublin 13 on Thursday.
The court heard that the four men were arrested after the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau conducted a "controlled delivery" of the consignment, which was originally dispatched from Toronto, Canada.
A garda car was rammed during the operation, the court was also told.
Judge Máire Conneely granted bail to all four men, subject to lodgements of between €3,000 and €7,000 and an agreement to obey conditions.
Mr Sheppard of Streamville Road, Kilbarrack; Mr Gibbons, who lives in Snowdrop Walk, Darndale; Mr Hogan, with an address at Donaghmede Road, and Mr Daly of Edenmore Park, Raheny, were remanded in custody with consent to bail to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Friday.
Bail was set at €3,000 for Mr Hogan, €5,000 for both Mr Sheppard and Mr Gibbons and €7,000 for Mr Daly.
Once taken up, the men must surrender their passports, not apply for replacements, not contact each other, and sign on regularly at their local garda station.
