Four Chinese men remanded in custody following €2.4 million Milltown drugs bust

By TOM GILMORE THE seizure of a massive cannabis haul, estimated at €2.4 million, in a warehouse in Milltown at the weekend, and the subsequent arrest and questioning of four Chinese men has resulted in them being remanded in custody. Early on Saturday morning members of the Divisional Drug Unit from Galway assisted by the Regional Support Unit and Tuam Gardaí swooped on a warehouse in quiet cul-de-sac off the main Tuam-Sligo road in Milltown and made the first arrests in the operation. This major drugs bust is part of ongoing investigations into the sale and supply of drugs in the west of Ireland, and under the auspices of Operation Nitrogen targeting cannabis-growing operations.[private] They discovered a sophisticated cannabis growing operation at Unit 7 of the N17 Industrial Park, Milltown. Two men were arrested initially and in a follow-up operation the Gardaí arrested two others after stopping and searching a car in Tuam. On Sunday afternoon two Chinese men appeared before a special sitting of Galway District Court on charges relating to the seizure of 3,000 Cannabis plants with an estimated value of 2.4 million Euro at the warehouse in Milltown on Saturday. The two men, Zhi Qiang Lin (45) and Yuan Chen Wei (52) were both charged under Section 3 of possession and Section 17 of cultivation of Cannabis under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, as amended under Section 11 of the Act 1984, at Unit 7 of the N17 Industrial Park, Milltown. Both men gave addresses in Portadown, Northern Ireland.  Their solicitor Mr Brian Gilmartin said he understood that the men were only in this jurisdiction for a short time. Garda Barry Walsh gave evidence of arresting and cautioning Mr Lin at Galway Garda Station at 8.15 am on Sunday. He said Mr Linâ€â„¢s reply to the first charge was â€Å“I donâ€â„¢t have anything to say at this moment and I want to speak with my solicitor. His reply to the second charge was that he wished to meet his solicitor first. Garda Larry Duggan gave evidence of arresting Mr Wei at Galway Garda Station at 8.15 am on Sunday and of charging him at 1.45 pm. Inspector Michael Coppinger, Galway, said the Stateâ€â„¢s application was that they should be remanded in custody to come before Harristown Court next Friday. He said the State was objecting to any bail, under the Oâ€â„¢Callaghan principle, as the men were considered to be flight risks if they were given bail. Judge Gerard Furlong remanded them in custody to appear before Harristown District Court this Friday April 26th at 10.30 am. He gave them free legal aid and agreed to Mr Brian Gilmartin as their solicitor and also requested that a Chinese interpreter who was in court should also be present during their next court appearance. When Mr Wei indicated that he suffered from shoulder pains Judge Furlong requested that he be given the relevant medical attention for his condition. Meanwhile on Monday another Chinese man, Fang Si Lang (32), was also remanded in custody after he appeared before Galway District Court on charges of cultivation and possession of cannabis at Unit 7 of the N17 Industrial Park, Milltown. He was also remanded in custody to appear again at Harristown Court this Friday. Gardaí indicated they would be opposing bail but no bail application was made for Mr Lang. Another Chinese man also arrested on Saturday appeared at Galway District Court yesterday. Huoyun Huang (32) appeared on charges of cultivation and possession of cannabis at the Milltown warehouse and he was remanded in custody to Harristown Court this Friday.[/private]