‘I’m prepared to put it on the line for my son’ – father of crystal meth haul suspect Nathan McDonnell offers up life savings of €100k to secure bail

Former garden centre CEO Nathan McDonnell (43) applied to the High Court for bail today, with his father Michael telling a judge he had “utmost faith” that his son will not leave the country if released.

Prosecutors maintained their objections to bail, saying Nathan McDonnell faced a serious charge over the €32m meth seizure, had significant means and could “disappear” if freed.

Ms Justice Karen O’Connor said she will make a decision on his application next Tuesday. She adjourned a bail hearing for co-accused James Leen (41) to next Thursday.

The accused were both arrested following the seizure of more than 500kg of crystal meth in a container in the port of Cork last month.

Mr McDonnell, a former garden centre CEO from Ballyroe, Tralee, and Mr Leen from Pilgrim Hill, Kilmorna, Listowel, Co Kerry are both charged with possession of more than €13,000 worth of the drug for sale or supply.

The offence is alleged to have happened at Ballyseedy Garden Centre, Tralee, between October 27, 2023 and February 12 this year. Mr Leen is also charged with importation of the drug, valued at more than €13,000, at Cork Port, Ringaskiddy, last October 16. Both were denied bail at Tralee District Court when they were first charged and brought there last month.

At the High Court sitting at Dublin’s Cloverhill courthouse today, Detective Sergeant Ernie Henderson said customs officers examined a container in Cork port on February 15 and found a “purported” electromagnetic separating machine destined for transport to Australia. In a “sophisticated concealment area” of the machine, some 543kg of crystal meth worth an estimated €32.8m was found, he said.

The following day, gardaí carried out searches in Cork and Kerry and arrested Mr McDonnell at his then workplace at Ballyseedy Garden Centre. The investigation went back over a year and Det Sgt Henderson said the machine was imported from Mexico and brought from Cork port to the garden centre.

The prosecution would allege Mr McDonnell received, stored and despatched the machine from his business, and was to get €150,000 for his part in the operation. Supporting evidence included phone data and CCTV footage, Det Sgt Henderson said.

CCTV from the garden centre showed Mr McDonnell in his office with co-accused Mr Leen on February 7, allegedly examining shipping documentation for transporting the machine to Australia.

Footage from February 12 captured Mr McDonnell operating a forklift, loading the recycling machine into the container, for transport to Cork port, the sergeant continued.

Phone evidence would show that Mr McDonnell obtained details from an innocent party in Australia - the equivalent of a tax number - to get a legitimate business address for the machine to be shipped to.

Mr McDonnell relayed €5,000 to this man for the use of his number and gave these details to the shipping agent at Cork port, it was alleged. Intelligence suggested the machine was going to be intercepted in Australia and brought to a different address.

Det Sgt Henderson said the recycling machine did not actually function and was a cover, disguised to conceal the drugs, with concrete packed around the sealed bags of drugs to protect it from inspections, Det Sgt Henderson said. It was alleged Mr McDonnell created false invoices for the machine to be imported and paid the fees to have it released after it arrived in Cork. A false invoice stated a purchase price of €115,000 but the machine in reality was “scrap metal itself".

It was a sophisticated operation and the evidence pointed to “a transnational criminal organisation” being behind it, Det Sgt Henderson said. Det Sgt Henderson said Mr McDonnell was a flight risk. He had been director of 11 companies with a combined turnover of between €4.5m and €5m.

He had since relinquished control and the companies were being liquidated. This reduced his ties to the jurisdiction and it was feared he would not turn up for trial if bailed, Det Sgt Henderson said.

A file would be sent to the DPP in the next six to eight weeks with a recommendation for further charges, he said.

Applying for bail, defence barrister Keith Branagan said Mr McDonnell denied any knowledge that there were drugs in the machine. He was a “successful businessman” and well-respected in his community until he was charged.

“That is no longer the case, he’s suffered irreparable damage to his reputation,” Mr Branagan said. A lot of Mr McDonnell’s companies had been struggling and one was €2m in debt, he said. The garden centre and restaurant businesses had been passed on to new operators and he had no profit from them.

He was married and his immediate and extended family all lived in the jurisdiction. Mr Branagan said Mr McDonnell was presumed innocent and would be in custody for some time awaiting trial if refused bail.

Custody was “more onerous” for Mr McDonnell than others, Mr Branagan said. “I would imagine prison is tough for Mr McDonnell,” Det Sgt Henderson said.

His father Michael McDonnell told the court he had life savings of €100,000 and could offer this as bail. "I’m quite prepared to put it on the line for my son,” he said. “I have the utmost faith that my son will not leave the jurisdiction.”

Prosecutor Teresa Lowe said the accused had “significant means” that would permit him to “disappear.” Mr McDonnell appeared in court via video link and spoke only to confirm his names.

The judge deferred her ruling on his application to March 26. She adjourned Mr Leen's bail hearing to March 28, at the request of his barrister Ronan Prendergast.

At Mr McDonnell and Leen's last district court appearance in Tralee, their cases were adjourned to March 27, for DPP directions.