A man who admitted transporting €3 million worth of drugs from Dublin to Cork has been charged over an €800,000 drugs and cash seizure in a Cork suburb.
Gardaí say Dubliner Christopher McCudden (38) admitted at interview to completing a drug run every month since October, each time bringing 15kg of drugs with a street value of €1 million from Dublin to Cork.
Mr McCudden and Michael Pineda (35) were arrested by gardaí from the Cork City Divisional Drugs Unit at Maryborough Ridge, Maryborough Hill, Douglas, where they seized 10kg of cocaine worth €700,000, 3kg of cannabis worth €60,000, and €40,000 in cash.
Mr McCudden, of Robin Hill, Sandyford Road, Dundrum, Dublin, was charged with possessing cocaine, including for sale or supply, and possessing cannabis, including for sale or supply, at Maryborough Ridge, Douglas, on December 30th, 2025.
He was charged with offences arising from a follow-up search, including possession for sale or supply of €10,000 worth of cannabis found in a vehicle belonging to him at Kelly’s recovery yard at Kilmacanoge, Bray, Co Wicklow, on December 31st.
He was also charged with two counts of money laundering (€40,000 at Maryborough Ridge, Douglas, and €4,000 at his home address at Robin Hill, Sandyford Road, Dublin). Both alleged offences are contrary to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Offences) Act.
At Cork District Court Det Garda Eoghan O’Mahony objected to bail due to the seriousness of the charges and the strength of the evidence against Mr McCudden, including that he was allegedly caught red-handed with the drugs in a van at Maryborough Ridge.
He claimed gardaí observed Mr McCudden hand over to Mr Pineda a Supervalu plastic bag containing 5kg of cocaine worth €350,000. He said officers found €40,000 in cash in a bag beside Mr McCudden on the passenger seat of the van.
He alleged a search of the van revealed a carefully hidden and specially modified wheel alignment machine in the back, which contained another 5kg of cocaine, worth another €350,000, and 3kg of cannabis worth €60,000.
He told Judge Catherine Ryan that Mr McCudden admitted during a Garda interview to bringing 15kg of drugs on journeys to Cork each month since October.
Det Garda O’Mahony said gardaí believe it was a sophisticated operation and Mr McCudden would not have been carrying such amounts unless he was a trusted member of an organised crime group. Gardaí feared that, if not in custody, he would abscond, as he has a ticket booked to Spain.
Mr McCudden told Judge Ryan he carried out the drugs run to pay off a debt. He said he booked the trip to Spain in early December to visit a friend. Saying it was only for five days, he promised not to abscond and pledged to return to stand trial.
Judge Ryan said there is a presumption of innocence and bail should not be “preventative or punitive”. She remanded him in custody with consent to bail on court-imposed conditions to January 8th on his own bond of €500 and an independent surety of €10,000. She said €5,000 cash was to be lodged.
His co-accused, Michael Pineda, of Castletreasure Grove, Douglas, was charged with four drug offences, including possession of cocaine for sale or supply at two locations in Maryborough Ridge, Douglas, on December 30th.
Michael Pineda outside Cork District court. Photograph: Cork Courts Limited
Mr Pineda, who appeared in court on crutches after injuring his ankle allegedly while fleeing the scene, was further charged with money laundering €2,950 at An Radharc, Maryborough Ridge, and €40,000 at the van at Maryborough Ridge on December 30th.
Det Garda Robert Kennedy, of Cork City Divisional Drugs Squad, said Mr Pineda made no reply to any of the charges. Sgt John Kelleher said gardaí were not objecting to bail for Mr Pineda, who was remanded to appear again on April 2nd.