An Omeath couple caught with over £20k worth of cannabis in their car when stopped by police in Newry last weekend must remain in custody, a judge has ruled.
40-year-old Peter Rodgers, with an address of Cornamucklagh, Omeath, County Louth, and his wife, 39 year old Tracy Rodgers, of the same address, appeared before Newry Magistrates Court on Saturday (21st April), charged with 2 counts each of possession of the Class B drug, and a further charge of possession of the Class A drug, cocaine.
The court heard from an arresting officer that the couple were stopped during a random police checkpoint on the Tandragee Road in Newry on the afternoon of Friday 20th April.
Mother-of-three, Mrs Rodgers, is said to have immediately confessed that, “the grass is in the back”, directing officers to the boot of the vehicle, where they discovered cannabis with an estimated street value of £20,000. The couple’s 18 month old child was also travelling in the vehicle when stopped by police.
Further police searches of a property on the Armagh Road in Newry and the couple’s home in Cornamucklagh, Omeath, uncovered bags which police say contained remnants of drugs.
Both husband and wife were refused bail after the judge ruled they did not have a suitable address in the NI jurisdiction and were likely to obstruct or attempt to obstruct the course of justice, as well as being liable to commit further offences.
Remanding Mr Rodgers into custody in Maghaberry Prison and his wife to Hydebank, the case was adjourned to Newry Magistrates Court at 10am on 16th May.