Accused of being ‘high up’ in the drugs chain

A Lithuanian man accused of being “high up” in the drugs chain, was refused bail today (thurs) charged with having 2.5 kilos of class A cocaine.
Egious Sikys in the back of a police car as he arrives at Lisburn Court where he was charged with having 2.5 kilos of cocaine with intent to supply and having a firearm under suspicious circumstances. INUScourtoneEgious Sikys in the back of a police car as he arrives at Lisburn Court where he was charged with having 2.5 kilos of cocaine with intent to supply and having a firearm under suspicious circumstances. INUScourtone
Egious Sikys in the back of a police car as he arrives at Lisburn Court where he was charged with having 2.5 kilos of cocaine with intent to supply and having a firearm under suspicious circumstances. INUScourtone

Standing in the dock of Lisburn Magistrates Court, 31-year-old Egious Sikys spoke only to confirm that he understood the three charges against him.

Father-of-two Sikys, from the Ballynahinch Road in Lisburn, is accused of possessing cocaine with intent to supply, simple possession of the class A drug and a further allegation of having a firearm under suspicious circumstances, all alleged to have occurred on 16 September this year.

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A detective constable told the court he believed he could connect Sikys to the charges and revealed that although by weight the drugs would be worth around £150,000, Sikys himself commented the cocaine had a purety of 90%.

The officer said if that transpired to be accurate, the 2.5 kilos would be ‘cut’ before it got to the “end user” and would be worth “in the region of £1.5 million.”

Ascribing a role to Sikys as “high up on the food chain,” the detective said cops searched his home under warrant and uncovered the drugs hidden in a kitchen cupboard, a wellie boot and amongst car cleaning products, adding that officers also seized a replica sniper rifle or BB gun.

The officer said scales were also uncovered leading police to suspect they would be used in the cutting or mixing process.

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He said that Sikys’ comments over the drug’s supposed purety came “during the custody process” and that he also claimed “if released he maybe killed and he would be in need of protection.”

During interviews, the court heard how Sikys claimed he was storing the drugs under duress after persons came to his home and threatened both him and his family.

The detective claimed however that given the amount of cocaine, the police view is that he is “high up on the food chain to be trusted with such a large amount.”

He said police were objecting to Sikys being released amid fears that he would reoffend to recoup the significant losses the seizure represents, that he was a risk of fleeing the jurisdiction as if convicted, he faces a lengthy jail term and because there were two young children in the house along with the drugs which “I don’t believe that’s a healthy environment for children to be in.”

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Under cross examination from defence solicitor Chris Mitchell, the officer agreed that forklift driver Sikys had been in Northern Ireland for 10 years and had no convictions relating to drugs.

Mr Mitchell argued that with one of his children attending school here, Sikys did not pose a risk of flight and that while it maybe classified as a firearm, he believed the rifle “was a toy.”

Describing the police objections regarding potential reoffending as “the stereotypical, generic objection,” Mr Mitchell submitted that Sikys would be very foolish to sell drugs if released as he would be under close scrutiny from the authorities.

District Judge Rosie Watters said while everything that could be said on his behalf had been said, she was refusing to release Sikys on bail as she was concerned about the risk of further crimes being committed and his risk of flight.

“Cocaine and other illegal drugs do huge amounts of harm in our society and I see that everyday,” commented the judge.

Sikys was ordered to appear again via videolink on 12 October.