Taxi passenger stopped with £30,000 of cannabis was 'servicing own addiction,' court hears

A taxi passenger stopped in south Belfast with £30,000 worth of cannabis was acting as a courier to service his own personal addiction, a court heard today.

John George was arrested after police made the seizure in the Lisburn Road area on Wednesday. 

The 35-year-old, of Annadale Drive in the city, appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court to face a charge of possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply.

A detective said the consignment recovered in the police stop and search of the car has a potential street value of £30,000.

Based on how the haul had been vacuum packed into bags, she claimed George is connected to a wider illegal trade.

“It’s indicative that he’s operating within a network of people for the onward supply of drugs in the Greater Belfast area,” the detective contended.

Defence counsel Sean Devine argued that George’s actions stemmed from his own habit.

“He was performing a courier role in whatever was going on,” the barrister submitted.

“There was two or three kilos of cannabis found in the boot of the taxi he was travelling in.

“This was done as a need to service his own personal addiction.”

Deputy District Judge Liam McStay granted bail to George under strict conditions. 

Adjourning the case for four weeks, he imposed a curfew and restricted the accused to one mobile phone which must be presented to police on request

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