A footballer and a club coach charged over a €2.7 million heroin seizure in Dublin have been sent forward for trial.
Former League of Ireland player Keith Quinn (31) and Bluebell football manager Andrew Noonan (41), were both refused bail on July 8th after they were charged with possession of drugs and possession with intent to supply, in the Dublin 15 area.
They appeared again before Judge Victor Blake at Cloverhill District Court. Books of evidence were served on them.
The court has heard it was a complex case and a number of electronic devices and technical data had to be examined, and international enquiries were also made.
The DPP directed trial on indictment and Judge Blake agreed to grant the return for trial order. They were sent forward to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where they will face their next hearing on January 28th next.
Dutch link
Their bail hearing was told earlier it was alleged a package had arrived from Amsterdam in Holland.
On August 5th, Revenue’s Customs Service and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), participated in a joint operation. Some 22 kgs of suspected heroin were allegedly seized.
Earlier, the court heard, Mr Quinn, of Monastery Gate Avenue in Clondalkin, made no reply to the charge. Co-accused, Noonan, a father-of-four of Redhills Park, Ellistown, Co Kildare, told gardai “no comment” when he was charged.
Mr Quinn was previously with Sheffield United and later played for Cork City and Shelbourne in the League of Ireland. He later played for Bluebell United in the Leinster Senior League.
Noonan was manager of Bluebell United.
