Irish Woman, 58, Charged with Possession of €100,000 Worth of Cocaine

A 58-year-old Irish woman appeared before a special weekend court sitting, charged with possession of almost €100,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply, following a planned garda operation targeting drug dealing.

Joanne Braddish appeared before Ennis District Court, Co Clare, on Saturday, charged with possession of €96,040 worth of cocaine for sale or supply to others, contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Ms Braddish, with an address at St Brendan’s Street, St Mary’s Park, Limerick City, was also charged with simple possession of cocaine, contrary to Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Gardaí arrested Ms Braddish at her home at 7:05 pm last Thursday, August 1st, and brought her to Henry Street Garda Station, Limerick City, where she was charged with the two drug offences at 7:30 pm last Friday, August 2nd.

As the charge sheets stated, Ms. Braddish did not reply to either charge. Solicitor Tara Godfrey, acting for Ms Braddish, told the court that the prosecution, led by Garda Inspector Gearóid Thompson, Bruff Garda Station, Co Limerick, had no objection to bail with strict conditions. Ms Godfrey told the court: “Ms Braddish has survived cancer, and she is not working, she is on disability (allowance).”

Ms Braddish signed a bail bond, agreeing to reside only at her home address at St Brendan’s Street, St Mary’s Park, Limerick; to provide a working telephone number to Gardaí so they could reach her at any time; and to sign on at a named garda station, between the hours of 10 am and 6 pm, three times a week. As part of her bail conditions, Ms Braddish also agreed to surrender her passport and not apply for any new travel documents.

Inspector Thompson asked the court to remand the case to Limerick District Court. Judge Fiona Brennan granted the State’s application. She remanded Ms Braddish on bail, on her bond of €200, cash not to be lodged, to appear before Limerick District Court on September 4th for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. In court, Ms Braddish spoke only to confirm she had signed the bail bond.

A male in his 30s, who was arrested last Wednesday as part of the same Garda investigation, codenamed Operation Tara, a national anti-drugs strategy by An Garda Síochána tackling street-level drug dealing across the country, appeared before Nenagh District Court last Friday, August 2nd.

A second male, aged in his late teens, who was arrested as part of the same probe earlier Friday, was released without charge, and a file was sent to the Garda Youth Diversion Office.

Gardaí seized a total of almost half a million euros worth of drugs, including cocaine, cannabis, and heroin, as well as €250,000 cash, as part of the planned operation between Wednesday and Thursday last week. The Garda investigation, led by Mayorstone Park Garda Station, Limerick, and supported by the Garda Armed Support Unit (ASU) and Garda Dog Unit, continues.