A Polish pilot and a County Waterford man have been remanded in custody charged over a seizure of €8.4 million worth of cocaine in the Midlands.
Gardai monitored a small aircraft as it landed at an airfield in County Longford on Thursday and later intercepted two vehicles near Lough Owel, County Westmeath, seizing 120 kilogrammes of the drug.
They arrested two men on suspicion of drug trafficking and both appeared today before a special sitting of Mullingar District Court.
54-year-old Tim Gilchrist of Mavis Bank, Newrath, Waterford, and 41-year-old pilot, Michal Lucsak, with an address at Primrose Avenue, Jigginstown in Naas, Co. Kildare, appeared before Judge Patricia Cronin at a special sitting of the court this morning.
Mr Gilchrist is accused of possessing cocaine for sale or supply at Lough Owel, Irishtown, Co. Westmeath, while father-of-two Mr Lucsak is charged with the same offences at Abbeyshrile Aerodrome.
The seizure was described in court as a 'massive loss' to a criminal group.
Judge Patricia Cronin remanded them in custody to appear again at Mullingar District Court via video link on Thursday.
Legal aid was granted.
