A 60-YEAR-OLD woman is to sign guilty pleas in connection to charges arising from the seizure of cannabis with an estimated street value of €480,000 at Shannon Airport in April.
At Ennis District Court, solicitor John Casey, for Maria Lucilia Martins of Lisbon, Portugal, said that his client would be signing pleas of guilty for the case that is to go before Ennis Circuit Court for sentencing.
Mr Casey made his comment after two new fresh charges were brought against Ms Martins.
Ms Martins is to enter a signed plea of guilty to possession with intent to sell or supply cannabis with a street value of €13,000 or more, contrary to the Drugs Misuse Act, at Shannon Airport on April 7 of this year.
Ms Martins is to also sign a guilty plea concerning another new charge of importation of cannabis at the same location on the same date.
Mr Casey said that Ms Martin’s will enter the signed pleas of guilty at court next week.
The signed pleas will remove the need for the State to prepare a Book of Evidence in the case.
Sergeant John Burke told an earlier hearing in the case that the estimated value of the drugs is €480,000.
Ms Martins appeared in person in court for the new charges where she made no reply after charge.
She was already charged with possession of cannabis, which was recovered from luggage at Shannon Airport, with intent for sale or supply.
Ms Martins has remained in custody since her arrest and has appeared at a number of remand hearings via video link from Limerick’s Women Prison.
Solicitor for Ms Martins, John Casey, has at a number of court hearings urged the State to expedite the case including the analysis of the alleged drugs, which is now complete.
Mr Casey said that his client is a non-Irish national “and has no help and no assistance here”.
Ms Martins required the services of a Portuguese interpreter for the brief hearing.
Judge Alec Gabbett remanded the accused in custody to re-appear before Ennis District Court on July 24 to formally make the signed pleas of guilt.
