*Cannabis which was seized in Shannon.
A MOTHER and daughter accused of possessing €1.28m worth of cannabis at Shannon Airport two days before Christmas Day are to seek bail in the High Court, a court has heard.
At a special New Year’s Eve sitting of Ennis District Court today, Dovil Reifonaite, (40), and Migle Kurieniute, (20), both with an address at Newlands, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, appeared via video link from the women’s prison at Limerick prison.
The two first appeared in court before a special sitting of Limerick District Court on Christmas Eve and spent their Christmas in prison when Judge Alec Gabbett refused bail following Garda objections.
Each accused is charged with one count of possession of cannabis for sale or supply, as well as one count of possession of cannabis.
Solicitor for the two, John Casey told the court, “I am just waiting for the Christmas break to end for the High Court offices to re-open to bring an application for bail to the High Court”.
Sgt John Burke told the court that a small sample of the suspected drugs was brought to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) and the tests confirmed that the substance is cannabis.
Judge Gabbett asked would the two need to be produced in court on January 8th for additional charges and Sgt Burke replied “no”.
Judge Gabbett asked, “Do we want to order a Lithuanian interpreter for the next court date”.
Mr Casey said that Migle has very good English and her mother, Dovil “not so much”. He said, “I believe that we are grand for the moment”.
Migle confirmed to the court that she was happy to explain things to her mother.
At the Christmas Eve court sitting, Gardaí told the bail hearing that, at 11:16am on December 23rd last, the two accused disembarked from a flight at Shannon Airport from Boston.
Gardaí alleged that officers attached to Revenue discovered 64kgs vacuum-packed packages of cannabis with a street value of €1.28 million, in four suitcases belonging to the two accused. It was a “significant quantity” of drugs, Gardaí added.
Mr Casey told the Christmas Eve court that Ms Reifonaite and Ms Kurieniute had lived in Mullingar for the past eight years and that they would abide by any bail conditions.
“Ms Kurieniute has been here since she was twelve. They have set up home here, and if granted bail they will sign on daily or even twice daily at a Garda station, this is where their life is,” said Mr Casey.
Judge Gabbett further remanded the two in custody to appear, via video-link, at Ennis District Court on January 8th.
