A 47-year-old Englishman yesterday became the fourth person to be charged in connection with the country's largest ever cocaine seizure when he was brought before a court in west Cork.
Perry Wharrie, of Pryles Lane, Loughton, Essex, was charged with having cocaine and with having it for sale or supply at Dunlough Bay, Mizen, Goleen, where Customs officers recovered almost €107 million worth of cocaine on July 2nd.
Mr Wharrie was brought before Dunmanway District Court yesterday morning amid tight security with more than half a dozen armed members of the Emergency Response Unit being supported by local detectives armed with Uzi machine guns.
About 18 uniformed officers and a further 12 plainclothes officers were also involved in the high-profile security operation which entailed gardaí closing off Sackville Street when both Mr Wharrie and a co-accused, Gerard Hagan, were being brought to and from the courthouse.
In court, Sgt Gerard Prendeville of Schull Garda station gave evidence of arresting Mr Wharrie at Gubeen, Schull, at 9.10am on July 4th on suspicion of having committed an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Sgt Prendeville said he charged Mr Wharrie with the two drugs offences at 7.10pm on July 10th in Bantry and cautioned him. Mr Wharrie replied: "No comment" to both charges, he said.
State solicitor for west Cork Malachy Boohig said gardaí were seeking a remand in custody and given that two men had already been remanded in custody on similar charges to Clonakilty District Court, it made sense to remand Mr Wharrie to the same court.
Mr Wharrie's solicitor, Gerry Hyland, made no application for bail and Judge James McNulty granted the State application and remanded Mr Wharrie in custody at Cork Prison to appear again at Clonakilty District Court on July 17th.
Mr Boohig also applied to have the other man before the courts, Gerard Hagan (23), of Hollowcroft, Liverpool, remanded in custody to the same court and Mr Hagan's solicitor, Flor Murphy said that his client consented to the remand.
Both Mr Wharrie and Mr Hagan will now appear at Clonakilty District Court next Tuesday along with co-accused, Martin Wanden (44), no fixed abode and Joe Daly (40), of Carrisbrooke Avenue, Bexley, Kent, who both face the same charges.
Mr Wanden and Mr Daly were both charged on Tuesday.
