A 60-YEAR-OLD woman appeared in court charged in connection with a cannabis with an estimated street value of €480,000 at Shannon Airport.
The seizure, estimated to weigh just over 26 kilogrammes, was made at the Mid West airport on April 7.
At Ennis District Court, Maria Lucilia Martins of Lisbon, Portugal, appeared in connection with two charges arising from the seizure.
Judge Alec Gabbett asked if further charges were to follow and what the value of the haul was.
Sergeant John Burke said that the estimated value of the drugs was €480,000.
Ms Martins appeared via video link from Limerick Prison after she was remanded in custody by at Kilrush District Court on April 9.
The Portguese national is charged with possession of cannabis and possession of cannabis with intent for sale or supply in connection with the significant drugs haul recovered from luggage found at Shannon Airport on the date in question.
Solicitor for Ms Martins, John Casey, said that a further remand in custody for his client is on consent but asked that the authorities expedite matters, including the analysis of the alleged drugs.
He told the court his client is a non-Irish national “and has no help and no assistance here”. She required the services of a Portuguese interpreter for the brief hearing.
Judge Gabbett said that there was a concern at Kilrush Court relating to medical attention for the accused, who said, though her interpreter, that she had been seen briefly by a medic at Limerick Prison.
Judge Alec Gabbett remanded the accused in custody to re-appear before Ennis District Court on April 24.
“Thank you – see you here again on April 24th in custody,” he said.
