Consent to bail in relation to €160,000 Portarlington drug seizure

A man charged in connection with the discovery of €160,000 of drugs in Portarlington was given consent to bail. 

Keith Dunne (38) of Mohia Lane, Killurin, Tullamore, Co Offaly applied for bail at a sitting of Portlaoise District Court. He is accused of having drugs for sale or supply at Main Street, Portarlington on April 8, 2026. 

Garda James Collins objected to bail and applied to have the defendant remanded in custody due to the seriousness of the charges and the strength of evidence.  He said the defendant made no reply when charged and further serious charges were expected.

Garda Collins said the defendant was stopped driving a white 13 OY registered BMW at a checkpoint on Main Street in Portarlington on April 8. He said the driver, who he described as “extremely nervous and evasive”, gave his name as Gary Dunne. 

Garda Collins said the discovery was made in the rear footwell of the car and two mobile phones were also discovered. He said the defendant was arrested and interviewed on four occasions and had refused to give Gardaí the pin numbers of the mobile phones. 

In objecting to bail, Garda Collins said he believed the defendant would commit offences and he “will be forced by an unknown criminal element to recoup the losses" arising from the seizure. 

David Nugent BL asked what further serious charges his client might expect.  Garda Collins said the seizure would likely lead to a Section 15 A prosecution for possession of drugs valued in excess of €13,000. He said enquiries were ongoing and the drugs would be subject to analysis. 

“It may come back and be less weight and less value,” Mr Nugent said. 

Garda Collins said the drugs were vacuum packed and they were placed within an animal feed bag. He said the defendant was the sole occupant of the car. 

Mr Nugent said his client had the presumption of innocence. He described the assertion that he would be forced to commit further crime by an unknown criminal element as speculative. “You don’t know if there is a criminal element,” he said. 

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Mr Nugent requested bail and said if it was denied his client would spend “considerable time in custody” while the prosecution progresses. He said the man’s father was in court and had brought €3,000. He said his client would be willing to surrender his passport, sign on at a garda station and attend all court appearances. He said the man had “fallen and damaged his skull” in recent weeks and would require medical assistance.  Garda Collins said he believed the defendant should be remanded in custody.  

Judge Andrew Cody described the evidence as reasonably strong but said the man does enjoy the presumption of innocence. He set bail on his own bond of €1,000 with an independent surety of €10,000 with the source of the funds to be verified. The bail was subject to a number of conditions including that the defendant remain of good behaviour and sober habits, surrender his passport, obey a curfew, sign on daily at Tullamore Garda Station and provide a phone number that he can be contacted on. 

As the defendant didn’t have €10,000 in court, Judge Cody remanded him in custody with consent to bail to appear again before Portlaoise District Court on April 13. He reserved the issue of legal aid.