Social worker denied bail over €950,000 drug seizure at Dublin Airport

Tom Tuite

A social worker has been denied bail over a seizure of €950,000 worth of drugs in her luggage at Dublin Airport on Sunday.

Kafayat Adeniyi (51), Clarendon Place, Dover, Kent, England, was charged with unlawful possession, supply and importation of cannabis and methamphetamine on Sunday.

She appeared before Judge Ciaran Liddy at Dublin District Court on Monday.

Garda Shauna Redmond objected to Adeniyi's bail, fearing she would not turn up for trial.

Adeniyi was travelling from Toronto, Canada, to London Heathrow on Aer Lingus flight El 152.

The court heard the drugs were in two suitcases.

Adeniyi allegedly took ownership of the bags and admitted she knew there were drugs in them but claimed she did not know the type or value.

Adeniyi was cautioned and arrested for Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Drug Trafficking Act 1996 and conveyed to Ballymun Garda Station.

The garda said the accused, a mother with one adult son, was caught red-handed and was a flight risk as she lived in the UK.

The garda maintained that the woman made full admissions in interview to importing the drugs for a sum of money, it was alleged.

The accused had no legal representation due to ongoing industrial action by solicitors who have withdrawn services in District Court legal aid cases in response to recent payment reforms.

Bail was denied, and she was remanded in custody to appear again on Friday.

She has yet to enter a plea to the charges, which require directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions..