Donegal man to stand trial over €105,000 cocaine haul

A Donegal man who aaas found in possession of over €100,000 worth of cocaine will stand trial this year.

A book of evidence was this week served on Mark McMonagle (25) of Sylvain Park, Letterkenny.

McMonagle appeared for a brief hearing at Letterkenny District Court. The accused did not speak during the hearing.

Garda Maeve Sweeney gave evidence of serving the book of evidence on McMonagle at 11.46am on February 21, 2022.

Judge Brendan O’Reilly administered the alibi warning and made a section 56 order in relation to video tapes of interviews.

The court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has consented for McMonagle to be forwarded to the next sitting of Letterkenny Circuit Court, which gets underway on May 10, 2022.

Legal aid was granted to solicitor Mr Frank Dorrian and Judge O’Reilly assigned one senior counsel and one junior counsel.

On January 8, 2021, as a result of an intelligence led operation, a vehicle was stopped at an MIT Checkpoint at Drumbuoy, Lifford.

The vehicle was searched resulting in the discovery of the stash, with a street value of €105,000, in a plastic bag concealed inside a clothes bag in the boot.

The accused is charged with the possession of controlled drugs, two grammes of cocaine, for unlawful sale or supply. McMonagle faces another charges of possession of the cocaine.

At a previous sitting, an independent surety of €15,000, including €5,000 in cash, was provided by the accused’s father, James McMonagle, who accompanied him to court.