Four men have appeared in court accused of being involved in importing more than £300,000 worth of cannabis to the island.
The court was previously told that a fishing vessel called the Boy Shayne had sailed from Whitehaven to the Isle of Man with two people on board, skipper Jordan Corkill and deckhand Liam Lewis.
Both men were arrested, together with the vessel’s owner, John Joseph Skillen, after it sailed into Douglas outer harbour and moored alongside the Battery Pier at 9.45pm on Friday, November 17.
A hold-all containing 15.5kg of cannabis with a street value of £310,000 along with 98 tetrahydrocannabinol vapes with a street value of £3,000 was seized at the harbour, a previous hearing was told.
Ashley Ronald Joseph, was also arrested and previously appeared in court accused of using a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) to try to meet the fishing boat.
However, it is alleged that Mr Harrison’s RIB crashed onto rocks in Laxey, forcing the vessel to sail into Douglas Harbour, the hearing was told.
On Tuesday, four of the five men accused of being involved in the alleged drug plot made their latest appearance in court.
Mr Lewis, aged 26 of Sulby Glen, Sulby, pleaded not guilty to two counts of importing the class B drug and two counts of being concerned in its supply.
He was represented in court by advocate David Reynolds and will be committed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery on January 30 where a trial date will be set.
Bail continues.
Mr Harrison, aged 35, of Kerrowmoar, Sulby, denied two counts of importing cannabis to the island.
He was represented in court by advocate Paul Glover and will also be committed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery on January 30.
Bail was granted for him after his partner lodged a surety bond of £7,500 and Mr Harrison himself put forward a further £7,500 as a security bond.
Mr Skillen, aged 43, of Archallagan Terrace, Foxdale, is charged with two counts of possession of cannabis with intent to supply and two counts of being concerned in importing the drug to the island.
He is yet to enter pleas and was represented in court by advocate Stephen Wood, who asked for an adjournment until January 2 to allow time to review the case papers. A committal date was also set for him on January 30.
James Mark Smith, aged 36, of Ballacutchel Road, Douglas, is also charged with two counts of importing cannabis to the island and will appear at the Court of General Gaol Delivery on December 15.
He was represented by advocate Peter Taylor.
No bail application was made and he is remanded at the Isle of Man prison.
Skipper Mr Corkill, aged 26, of Kerroo Coar, Peel, has previously been committed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery, charged with importing cannabis and being concerned in its supply, and is due to appear there on December 15.