No bail for ‘Dublin crime gang cabbie who delivered cocaine to loyalist estate’

Alleged drug dealer Colin Garrett.

March 12 2022 05:08 PM

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A taxi driver with alleged links to organised crime in Dublin who is accused of delivering cocaine to a loyalist estate in east Belfast has been refused bail.

At a failed application by Dungannon-based taxi David John Ghent (41), a court heard its the police case he delivered two kilos of cocaine to 29-year-old Colin Joseph Garrett before he was stopped heading back across the border. 

Newtownards Magistrates Court heard that having allegedly delivered the package to Garrett in the Ballybeen estate, another kilo of the class A drug was uncovered by Paramilitary Crime Task Force cops in a search of Ghent’s taxi on the M1 close to Moira on November 24 last year.

Ghent, from Hollyfields in Dungannon, faces five charges including supplying cocaine, importing the drugs and possessing criminal property.

Co-accused Garrett, a widow cleaner from the Upper Newtownards Road, Dundonald faces three charges including possessing cocaine with intent to supply and possessing cannabis on November 24.

At a previous hearing, a police officer said Garrett had links to the UVF, while his co-accused had connections to a southern Irish crime gang.

It is alleged that when Ghent pulled up outside Garrett’s Ballymena house, the east Belfast man went out and collected a package from the taxi which then drove off.

Garrett went back inside but was swiftly followed by a police d search team and as they entered by the front door, he ran upstairs and hurled the package from an upstairs bedroom window.

Waiting cops retrieved the package which contained 2.24 kilos of cocaine, courts have heard.

As Ghent approached Moira, his taxi was pulled over and searched with the further package retrieved.

Police have claimed the £180,000 seizures represent “an enormous hit” on a cross-border drug smuggling operation involving organised crime gangs in the south and east Belfast paramilitaries.

Ghent has previously been refused bail but launching another application last Wednesday, defence counsel Craig Patton argued that potential delays in the case progressing amounted to a change of circumstance and therefore justified the court revising the decision.

He told District Judge Mark Hamill that mobile telephone analysis is likely to take upwards of three months.

“He has already spent a significant period in custody and if he breaches bail that will see him remanded to custody for an even greater significant period,” submitted Mr Patton.

Mr Hamill replied: “I rule that there’s no change of circumstance whatsoever so go back to the High Court because you have singularly failed to persuade me.”

The case adjourned to March.

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