Two alleged drug distributors were caught red-handed in Dublin with €1.8 million worth of cocaine following a “handover” linked to organised crime and an overall €2.2 million drug seizure, a court has heard.
Gardaí from the Dublin Crime Response Team intercepted two men at the car park area of Brandon Square, Waterville, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, on Friday.
IT technician David Royle (62), with an address at Crumlin Road, Dublin 12, and co-accused, unemployed Tomasz Nowosad (53) of Knightsbridge, Rush, Co Dublin, have been charged with possessing cocaine for sale or supply.
Royle, a father of two, has additional charges for having cannabis and ecstasy seized during a follow-up search at his house.
His Polish co-accused faces other charges relating to another 2kg of cocaine said to have been found in his car.
Dublin District Court was told on Monday that Royle parked his blue 2026-registered Skoda Fabia and was observed receiving a Smyths Toys shopping bag from his co-accused, who had parked beside him in another car, at Brandon Square, Waterville, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.
They faced separate hearings before Judge Stephanie Coggans and Judge Mark O’Connell. Bail was set at €5,000 for each man, and they were remanded in custody until this was lodged and a further €5,000 in independent sureties was approved.
Opposing bail, Garda Stephen Byrne told a contested bail hearing that Nowosad, a father of one, placed a bag in the boot of Royle’s car, and it contained 18kg of cocaine worth €1.8 million.
The court heard that there was excellent quality CCTV evidence and the pair were caught red-handed.
Officers went to Royle’s Crumlin residence and uncovered a further 4kg of cannabis valued at €56,000 and approximately 5,000 ecstasy tablets worth €50,000, alongside packaging equipment including vacuum sealers. Documentation, including a passport in the name of David Royle, was also found in the property where he lived alone.
The total amount of drugs seized in the operation amounted to €2.2 million.
Garda Colin Byrne alleged that €300,000 worth of cocaine had been recovered from Nowosad’s car. Another 7kg of suspected cocaine found in it has yet to be tested.
The court heard there was an encrypted phone in Nowosad’s vehicle.
Royle made full admissions during his detention at Blanchardstown Garda station.
The bail hearing was told he admitted acting as a courier distributing drugs two to three times a week for cash payments of €200-€300 per kilogram. Royle allegedly told officers: “I’m not sorry I did it, I’m sorry I got caught.”
It was claimed he stated that if he knew the value of the drugs, he would have requested to be paid more, and it was a job that was “easy money”.
Defence counsel Paddy Flynn said his client did not remember making that comment and that it would be an issue at trial. He also said the case would go to the Circuit Court, meaning a 12-month wait until trial.
He also stressed that full testing of the seizure needed to be carried out, and the total value could be less than stated in court.
Garda Stephen Byrne said Royle was a trusted member of a criminal organisation involved in the large-scale distribution of controlled drugs in Dublin.
However, Coggans found that he could be released with conditions.
Investigators are preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions and anticipate upgrading charges to section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years upon conviction.
Flynn emphasised that neither man had prior convictions and would abide by conditions. The court heard Nowosad had lived in Ireland for 20 years, had a family here and no longer had ties to Poland.
O’Connell did not accept that the man was a flight risk.
Flynn also submitted that Nowosad denies knowing he was moving illegal drugs, and that would be a full defence.
The pair did not apply for legal aid as they privately retained solicitors Martin O’Donnell and Morgan Redmond, who briefed counsel for the bail hearing.
They will appear again at Cloverhill District Court on Friday. On taking up bail, they must surrender passports and sign on three days a week at a local Garda station.