Cannabis haul worth £140,000 '˜imported from Spain'

A £140,000 consignment of herbal cannabis seized in Belfast had been imported from Spain, a court has heard.

The drugs posted to a house on Ainsworth Avenue were recovered on Monday from a car stopped nearby, a judge was told.

Details emerged as a 36-year-old man arrested at the scene was granted bail.

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Biyong Dong appeared before Belfast Magistrates’ Court charged with importing and possessing cannabis class B drugs with intent to supply.

The Chinese national, of Melrose Street in the city, also faces a further count of using a motor vehicle without insurance.

Around six kilos of cannabis, with an estimated street value of £140,000, was found inside packaging seized from the car.

The consignment was said to have been sent from Madrid.

Bail was opposed due to the alleged risk of reoffending.

During police interviews Dong claimed he had been at the Ainsworth Street address to carry out odd jobs.

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He said the man employing him had phoned and asked if he would bring a package delivered to the house to a petrol station in another part of the city.

Defence solicitor Stephen Cassidy stressed that his client denies the charges.

Mr Cassidy added that the accused answered all questions put to him by detectives.

Granting bail, District Judge Nigel Broderick ordered Dong to report to police three times a week.

He is due to appear back in court next month.

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