Limerick is among the counties under a Status Orange wind warning
Search
08 Dec 2025
Search
08 Dec 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
A special sitting took place in Limerick Courthouse, Mulgrave Street, on Christmas Eve
A MOTHER and daughter were in custody over Christmas in relation to the seizure of €1.28m worth of cannabis at Shannon Airport.
Dovil Reifonaite, aged 40, and Migle Kurieniute, aged 20, both of Newlands, Mullingar, Co Westmeath were charged before Limerick District Court on Christmas Eve. Gardai gave evidence of arresting, charging and cautioning the two accused.
They are both charged with possession of drugs and possession of drugs for sale or supply.
Both women made no reply to each charge after caution.
Ms Reifonaite and Ms Kurieniute were represented by solicitor John Casey, who made a bail application on their behalf.
Inspector Liz Kennedy, prosecuting, objected to bail on behalf of the State.
A detective garda alleged that at 11.16am on December 23, 2024, the two accused disembarked from a flight at Shannon Airport which had arrived from Boston.
“Revenue officers discovered 64kgs vacuum packed packages of cannabis in their four suitcases with a street value of €1.28m,” alleged a detective garda.
Gardai objected to bail due to the “significant quantity of drugs seized” and they alleged the accused have family living in Lithuania and “may attempt to leave Ireland”.
Mr Casey, in applying for bail, said Ms Reifonaite and Ms Kurieniute have lived in Mullingar for the last eight years.
“Ms Kurieniute has been here since she was 12. They have set up home here. If granted bail they will sign on daily or even twice daily at a garda station. This is where their life is. They don’t have the financial means to create a new life for themselves,” said Mr Casey.
Judge Alec Gabbett said the two accused had the wherewithal to get to Boston.
The judge said every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the State .
“My dilemma is are they a flight risk. They have family in Lithuania. They have a lot to lose here - there is a great incentive to go.
“I am going to refuse bail in the circumstances. I am concerned about a flight risk. They are entitled to the presumption of innocence,” said Judge Gabbett.
Ms Reifonaite and Ms Kurieniute were remanded in custody to appear, via video-link, at Ennis District Court on December 31.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
