A MAN who Gardaí allege is involved in the distribution of cocaine in Limerick City was released on bail after €20,000 cash surety was lodged at Limerick Prison where he was being held on remand.
Owen Treacy Jnr is charged with one count of possessing €35,000 of cocaine for sale or supply, as well as one count of possession of cocaine.
Mr Treacy (28), with an address at St Senan’s Street, St Mary’s Park, Limerick City, is alleged to have used a dirt bike to ferry cocaine packages from near his home to Castle Street in Limerick City on September 15th last.
Mr Treacy was refused bail at Limerick District Court on September 17 this year, but he was released on bail this past week.
A €20,000 cash was lodged at Limerick Prison after Mr Treacy was granted bail at the High Court in Dublin, despite Garda objections.
Mr Treacy’s conditions of bail include that he must obey a nightly curfew, sign on daily at a Garda station, reside only at his home address, and not travel abroad.
At an earlier bail hearing before the District Court, Detective Garda Adrian Cahill, Limerick Divisional Drugs Unit at Henry Street Garda Station, said it was his belief that, if granted bail, Mr Treacy would “commit further serious crimes, will fail to meet any bail conditions, and he will continue to engage in the distribution of cocaine in the Limerick region and beyond”.
Detective Garda Cahill told the court that he observed Mr Treacy placing packages into a car at Castle Street. The car was later stopped and searched by Gardaí who found packages of cocaine in the vehicle.
Detective Garda Cahill told the court that at the time that he and other members of the drug squad were keeping Mr Treacy’s movements under surveillance as part of an “intelligence-led operation targeting the sale, supply, and distribution of controlled drugs in the King’s Island area”.
Gardaí recovered two packages from the car which contained cocaine with a street value of €35,000, Detective Garda Cahill alleged.
The court heard Gardaí observed Mr Treacy leaving his home on the morning in question and going to a nearby yard where he keeps horses. Gardaí then allegedly observed Mr Treacy riding a “dirt bike” to Castle Street and delivering packages to a car.
Later that day, Gardaí arrested Mr Treacy and charged him with two offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Mr Treacy, a father of two and a well-known soccer player in the Limerick District League, made no reply to the charges, the court heard.
He was remanded on bail to appear before Limerick District Court again next month.
