More than £10,000 worth of drugs seized from a house in West Belfast included cannabis designed to resemble children’s sweets, a court heard today.
Detectives from the PSNI’s Paramilitary Crime Task Force also recovered £4,000 in cash during the raid on Monday. Details emerged as a 28-year-old taxi driver appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on charges linked to the operation at a property on Distillery Court.
Karl McKeown is accused of possessing Class A and Class B drugs with intent to supply, and having criminal property. Police alleged £3,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis with an estimated value of £8,000 was discovered at the house.
Scales, suspected deal bags and a dealing list were also seized, the court heard.
“There were a number of cannabis edibles made to resemble children’s sweets,” a prosecutor said.
The court was told McKeown lives at the address with his partner and two youngsters. Opposing bail, an investigating detective claimed the defendant was involved in dealing from the property.
Police said there was a risk of further offending. But disputing the police assertions, defence solicitor Philip Breen insisted there was no evidence his client was carrying out an illegal trade.
Mr Breen also suggested the valuation placed on the seizures may have been exaggerated. Bail was granted for McKeown to live under curfew at an alternative address approved by police. District Judge Steven Keown ordered: “He is not to enter Distillery Court, Belfast.”
