Bail refused for man accused of possessing £10k worth of cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply in Portadown, Craigavon court hears
A 26-year-old man, accused of possessing cocaine with intent to supply, has been refused bail.
Rinalds Jekabsons, aged 26, from Moeran Park, Portadown, appeared in custody in the dock at Craigavon Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
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He faces a number of drug charges including possession of cocaine with intent to supply. He is also charged with possession of criminal property and possession of fireworks without a licence. All charges are dated November 3 this year.
When all 10 charges were put to Jekabsons he said he understood the charges. Jekabsons’ solicitor, Mr Philip Reid, said his client is applying for bail which was opposed by police.
A PSNI officer told the court that on Monday, November 3, police were on mobile patrol on Brownstown Road, Portadown and had reason to stop a VW Golf driven by the defendant.
He was detained under the Misuse of Drugs Act and £780 in "different denominations” was found in the car.
"Upon a strip search the defendant was found to have concealed 11 half-gram bags of cocaine between his buttocks,” the PSNI officer revealed.
Jekabsons’ house in Portadown was then searched where “a significant quantity of Class A cocaine and Class B herbal cannabis and resin cannabis and electronic vape oil containing THC was located along with deal bags and electronic scales’”, the officer said, adding fireworks were also found.
"The defendant was interviewed in Banbridge Custody Suite and made full admissions to both the supply and possession offences along with possession of fireworks without a licence,” he said.
The officer stated the drugs were weighed. There were 318 grams of herbal cannabis and 283 grams of cannabis resin and 58 grams of cocaine. “I understand that comes to a value of £10,450,” he said.
The officer said police objected to bail as the defendant “is likely to commit further offences”.
"He does have seven convictions and four are for possession of drugs. He has also committed further offences while on bail. I understand the defendant, by his own admission, is addicted to cannabis,” he said.
He also told the court Jekabsons had given police the PIN codes to his phones.
Mr Reid said his client “was candid” in interview. “He did give an account and says he has his own addiction issues. A lot of the drugs he would purchase would be for himself. He would buy them in slightly larger quantities. He does accept he does some low level dealing to fund that addiction.”
He said his previous convictions are all simple possession and "it reflects the addiction issues he has”.
Mr Reid added that his client’s partner is currently pregnant and needs his support.
He added that Jekabsons has lived in Northern Ireland, with his mother, for most of his life but tragically lost his mother recently.
Mr Reid added his client is a barber and would say some of the money seized was from “low level dealing and some of it was from barbering”.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said Jekabsons had a “good attitude” at interview but pointed out this offence “was committed while on bail for other matters”.
"There is a significant value of drugs in this case,” he said.
Jekabsons was refused bail and remanded into custody to appear before Craigavon Magistrates Court on November 28.