Gardai take away €137,000 worth of cannabis from former Chinese restaurant in Limerick

A chef, whose former Chinese restaurant was turned into a cannabis growhouse, hid in a bin when gardai raided the property, a court has heard.

Gardai seized 35 cannabis plants at various stages of growth with a total value of €137,906 at 8 Clare Street, Limerick city.

Limerick Circuit Criminal Court heard that a registered electrician had put in place a sophisticated wiring system to bypass the meter. It was described as a “counter forensic measure” to avoid paying for ESB as growhouses use a significant amount of power and ESB flag suspicious usage with authorities.

Yuen Chan, aged 64, of 8 Clare Street pleaded guilty to a number of drugs offences including cultivation, possession of cannabis for sale or supply and permitting certain activities to take place on land contrary to Misuse of Drugs Act.

Prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan, instructed by State solicitor Padraig Mawe, outlined the evidence with the assistance of Detective Garda Mike O’Grady.

Mr O’Sullivan said gardai executed a search warrant at 8 Clare Street, Limerick city, after receiving confidential information. He said the three-storey terraced property was formerly home to a Chinese restaurant and takeaway.

Three men fled the scene on foot with Mr Chan hiding inside a rubbish bin. Det Garda O’Grady said gardai were in position at the rear of the property and the three men were quickly apprehended.

The detective said there was additional lighting, fans, extraction system, water tanks, heaters and sheets of tin foil on the walls to keep the heat in. Strings were attached to the ceiling to aid the growth process. 

“A leaf trimming machine was used to assist harvesting buds. We interrupted the harvesting process that morning,” said Det Garda O’Grady, who added that there were seedlings in-situ for the next crop.

“A significant amount of money to set it (growhouse) up. This was going to be a continuous venture,” said Det Garda O’Grady.

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Mr O’Sullivan said Mr Chan is originally from Hong Kong and came to Ireland over 20 years ago.

“He worked as a chef in restaurants then purchased the restaurant in Clare Street. He has five children and resides in a rented property in Castleconnell,” said Mr O’Sullivan.

The prosecuting barrister outlined Mr Chan’s interviews with gardai in which he said he was contacted by a number of men to rent the former restaurant. Mr Chan said when he discovered it was being used as a growhouse some time later, he was threatened by the men who said they “knew where he lived”.

Mr Chan told gardai he needed the money, was promised payment once the plants were sold and he helped to feed and water cannabis plants. The court heard he did not receive any money.

Det Garda O’Grady said it is their belief Mr Chan had “a higher involvement”.

Mark Nicholas SC, who represented Mr Chan, put it to the detective that his client has no trappings of wealth and was in considerable debt. Det Garda O’Grady agreed.

In mitigation on behalf of his client, Mr Nicholas said Mr Chan has pleaded guilty, is aged 64 and his only previous interaction with gardai was when he was a victim of an armed robbery.

“He has lived in the Chinese community in Ireland - both linguistically and culturally. He was diagnosed with kidney disease. He was in financial difficulty with €90,000 outstanding. He maintains he leased out the building and assisted to make a few euros,” said Mr Nicholas, who asked Judge Daly to be fair and lenient due to Mr Chan’s age and health.

“Financial hardship brought him into this. There are no trappings of wealth. Incarceration will be hard for him,” said Mr Nicholas. 

Judge Daly adjourned sentencing Mr Chan until April 30.