Three men in court as further charges brought over €2.2m Ballybofey drugs find

Three men have appeared in court in connection with a major €2.2 million cannabis seizure in Ballybofey.

Ballybofey brothers Patrick McGinty and Michael McGinty as well as Buncrana man Christopher Doherty were all before Letterkenny District Court.

Two of the men, Patrick McGinty and Doherty, were remanded in custody by Judge Emile Daly having been charged with conspiring to commit offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act. The District Court does not have jurisdiction to hear a bail application in respect of a section 71 charge and the High Court will hear bail applications in respect of the pair. 

Both Patrick McGinty, a 39-year-old, and his 41-year-old brother Michael McGinty, each with an address at Carrickmagrath, Ballybofey, are facing charges of unlawfully importing drugs.

Garda Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed that the matters be sent forward to the Circuit Court. Books of evidence will be served on the trio at a later date.

The charges follow a swoop on a premises in the Ballybofey area in April by officers from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), the Donegal Divisional Drugs Unit and Revenue’s Custom Service.

Revenue officers seized approximately 112kgs of herbal cannabis, with an estimated value of €2.2 million, in the operation.

Detective Garda Christopher Sweeney gave evidence of further charging Patrick McGinty at 10.25am on November 17. The accused made no reply.

His solicitor, Mr Patsy Gallagher, asked for a short adjournment and said that his client is due before the High Court for a bail application. 

Patrick McGinty was remanded in custody on the conspiracy charge and is to appear again next week.

Detective Sergeant Robin Hennigan told the court that he arrested Doherty at 6.16pm on Sunday, November 16, in Buncrana. Doherty was cautioned and conveyed to Letterkenny Garda Station, where he was charged at 8.07pm and the accused made no reply.

Mr Frank Dorrian, solicitor for Doherty, said that his client will be seeking bail at the High Court.

Doherty, a 36-year-old with an address at Baile na Carraig, Buncrana, was remanded in custody and is due to appear again next week.

Detective Garda Sweeney gave evidence of further charging Michael McGinty at 10.30am on November 17. The court heard that he made no reply to charge.

Mr Rory O’Brien, solicitor for Michael McGinty, told the court that his client met with Detective Garda Sweeney by arrangement. 

Sergeant Collins said there was “no difficulty” in extending bail from the existing charges.

Michael McGinty’s case was adjourned until January, 2026.

Patrick McGinty is charged that between December 5, 2024 and April 1, 2025, at various locations within the State, did conspire with Christopher Doherty to commit offences under sections 15, 15A and 21 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977/84 which constitutes a serious offence, contrary to section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006.

Doherty is charged that, on December 5, 2024 and on various dates up April 1, 2025, at various locations within the State, he did conspire with Patrick McGinty to commit offences contrary to Section 15, 15A and 21 of the Misuse of Drugs 1977/1984 which constitutes a serious offence, contrary to section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006.

Patrick McGinty and Michael McGinty are also charged that on dates between March 20, 2025 and April 1, 2025 at a location within the State, they did unlawfully import a controlled drug, namely cannabis, in contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017 to 2019, made under section 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977.

The charge is contrary to section 21(2) and section 27 (as substituted by section 6 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1984) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.

The brothers are also charged with having cannabis for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying the drug to another in contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations, 2017 to 2019 made under section 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977 and at the time while the drug was in his possession, the market value of the controlled drug amounted to €13,000 or more.

This charge is contrary to Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 as inserted by section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1999 and contrary to section 27 (3A) of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977 as substituted by section 33 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007.

They have also been charged with having in their possession a controlled drug, namely cannabis, for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying it to another, contrary to section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 and contrary to section 27 (3) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 as substituted by section 6 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1984.

They also face a charge of being in possession of a controlled drug, to wit, namely cannabis, a charge contrary to section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 and contrary to 27 (1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 as substituted by section 6 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1984.