Breaking News
Three Chinese men jailed over role in Milltown growhouse
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Three Chinese men have been sentenced to two concurrent sentences totalling twelve years, for cultivating €2.3 million worth of cannabis plants for sale or supply at a warehouse in Milltown.
It follows a four-day trial at Galway Circuit Criminal Court where Gardai said the seizure is believed to be the largest in the State to date.
45 year old Jing Feng Qin, 52 year old Wie Yan Chen, 42 year old Fang Si Lang, and 32 year old Huoyun Huang, pleaded not guilty to having cannabis in their possession at Unit 7, N17 Business Park, Milltown, on April 20, 2013, which was for sale or supply to another, when the trial opened (last Friday).
They pleaded not guilty to having cannabis for sale or supply to another which at the time had a street value of €13,000 or more, contrary to Section 15(a) of the same Act.
All four men also denied a lesser charge of having cannabis in their possession on the same occasion.
Three of the men, Jing Feng Qin, Wie Yan Chen, and Fang Si Lang , who were the ‘gardeners’ pleaded guilty to cultivating the cannabis plants in the warehouse without a licence from the Minister for Health, while the fourth accused, Huoyun Huang, deemed to be the ‘lieutenant’ or ‘regionl manager’ denied any involvement in the illegal operation.
Huoyun Huang absconded last Monday and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
Mr John Jordan, prosecuting SC, told the jury that the plants seized would have had a potential street value of €2.3 million on maturity.
Mr Jordan said Gardai found the entire warehouse measuring 170ft. by 80ft. was taken up with growing 2,828 plants at various stages of growth.
Four senior counsel, instructed by four junior counsel, who in turn were instructed by their solicitors, told the jury that their clients, in particular, the ‘gardeners’, were involved because they had incurred debts and had been forced to work in the grow house under duress.
Judge Sean O’Donnabhain sentenced the three men to five years in prison for cultivating the plants and imposed a concurrent seven-year sentence on them for having the plants for sale or supply.
The death has occurred of the former Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Martin Drennan, six years after he announced his retirement on health grounds. He was aged 78.
The Galway Diocesan Office confirmed the death this (Saturday) afternoon of the Bishop and Apostolic Administrator Emeritus, who oversaw the Diocese for eleven years.
Born on January 2, 1944 in Piltown, County Kilkenny, he studied for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, from where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. His brother Michael is also a priest.
Following his ordination, he continued his studies in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in both sacred theology and sacred scripture. He returned to Rome in 1980 to become spiritual director at the Pontifical Irish College for the next five years.
He became a lecturer in sacred scripture at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where he continued to teach until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin in 1997 with responsibility for East Wicklow and South Dublin.
Following the retirement of Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Drennan was appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora and he was installed on July 3, 2005 in Galway Cathedral.
Outgoing Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) is on course to retain her City Council seat – and top the poll in City East.
With 33% of the boxes tallied, Cllr O’Flaherty is polling strongly, particularly in Renmore.
Michael John Crowe is ahead of his running mate Alan Cheevers for the Fianna Fáil vote, according to the early figures, although that could change when Doughiska and Roscam boxes are opened.
The Green Party’s Claire Hillery is on about 7%, with Fine Gael on 10% and Sinn Fein on 5%.
The opening of boxes for the local elections began at 9am this morning in Leisureland when the tallymen (and women) kicked into gear.
As regards the Galway County Council elections, the smaller areas are being opened first which means that the four-seater Connemara North boxes will be first in the pecking order.
It will be followed by Gort-Kinvara (5 seats), Connemara South (5 seats), Athenry-Oranmore (7 seats), Ballinasloe (6 seats), Loughrea (5 seats) and finally Tuam (7 seats).
The boxes in these areas will be opened and tallied in that particular order before being transferred to the Galway Lawn Tennis Club on Threadneedle Road where the counting will commence around mid-morning.
That is when the fun will really begin – although the tallies should give a good indication as to where most of the seats are destined.
As regards the city, the Galway City East boxes were opened first, followed by Galway City Central and finally Galway City West. These votes will be transferred to the Westside Centre by around 11am for counting.
There are 39 seats on Galway County Council to be filled with 18 on Galway City Council. The City Council count is expected to conclude on Saturday night but the County Council count – with seven electoral areas to be filled – could well go into Monday.
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