A Dublin man who agreed to move nearly €400,000 worth of drugs in order to service a €5,000 drug debt has been jailed for four years.
After gardaí found the four 5kg packages of cannabis herb in the boot of his car, James Ryan (33) told them he was moving the drugs to pay off the last of a drug debt.
He said if they didn't believe him, they could look up his nose, referring to damage to his nose due to excessive use of cocaine.
Mr Ryan of Tymon Crescent, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Scholarstown Road, Dublin 16, on August 11th, 2020.
Garda John Morrissey told Tony McGillicuddy BL, prosecuting, that gardaí put an operation in place after receiving confidential information about the movement of drugs in south Dublin on that day.
Informant
A car was identified by the informant and at around 7pm, gardaí located the car in around the Rathfarnham area and began following it. The car was ultimately pulled over and gardaí found the drugs wrapped in four large packs.
A later analysis found the drugs had an estimated street value of €395,600.
Garda Morrissey agreed with defence counsel Micheal O'Higgins SC that Mr Ryan's claim that he was in debt had the ring of truth.
Judge Martin Nolan said that he could accept that Ryan was coerced and said he probably knew what he was doing was wrong.
He told Mr Ryan “you are the captain of your own ship” and imposed a four-year prison term.
