No bail | 

Chinese man (46) appears in court charged over cannabis factory discovery

Speaking through an interpreter, 46-year-old Lin Wang spoke confirmed he understood three charges against him

Today at 08:01

A Chinese man appeared in court on Friday after police uncovered a cannabis factory in Ballymena.

Appearing at Coleraine Magistrates Court and speaking through an interpreter, 46-year-old Lin Wang spoke confirmed he understood three charges against him.

Wang is charged with cultivating cannabis at his Broughshane Street home on September 27, possessing the Class B drug and possession of cannabis, with intent to supply, on the same date.

While a police officer told the court he believed he could link Wang to each of the charges, defence solicitor Stewart Ballentine confirmed he was not lodging a bail application at this stage as the defendant has no suitable bail address and also “there is an issue about him being here illegally.”

“There were quite a number of plants … I think there were 350; other arrests have been made and those people have been bailed,” said the lawyer.

Remanding Wang into custody to appear before Ballymena Magistrates on October 12, District Judge Peter King said “as soon as Mr Ballentine is in a position to make a bail application the court will hear that.”

“I’m aware that there are other accused that are on bail at the moment but Mr Wang may have difficulties with his address and potentially with his immigration status,” the judge concluded.

Earlier this week a PSNI spokesman said three other people, a woman aged 59 and two men aged 58 and 49, had also arrested on suspicion of offences including cultivating cannabis and possession of a class B controlled drug with intent to supply but released on bail, pending further enquiries.