Limerick man had cannabis worth €95k in car

A KILEELY man agreed to transport almost five kilograms of cannabis herb to reduce a debt he owed to a money lender, a court has heard.

Michael Dillon, aged 56, of Creagh Avenue has pleaded guilty to charges relating to the seizure on October 30, 2014.

The drugs, worth around €95,000, were seized when gardai stopped and searched a car  at New Link Road, Caherdavin.

During a sentencing hearing, Garda David Godfrey of divisional drugs unit, said the cannabis was located in the boot of the car.

The drugs, he said,  were wrapped in a number of plastic bags and sealed vacuum-packed packages.

Garda Godfrey told John O’Sullivan BL, prosecuting, the defendant made admissions at the scene and again during interview following his arrest.

He told gardai he had been contacted by a money lender who told him if he collected a package “somewhere down the country” he would take €500 off a €2,000 debt he owed.

Mr Dillon told gardai he had collected the drugs earlier that day “outside a country lane on a country road” and that he had been instructed to drop them in a ditch near Long Pavement.

The father-of-four admitted he was aware the package contained drugs and he said he had taken a “calculated risk” as he needed the money.

Judge Tom O’Donnell was told while the defendant was “of material assistance” to gardai he did not identify who had asked him to collect the drugs.

Being cross-examined by Andrew Sexton SC, Garda Godfrey accepted the defendant has not shown any signs of wealth and that he had co-operated fully.

Mr Sexton said his client could have tried to “weasel his way out” of things as he was not the driver of the car but had instead decided to put his hands up and accept responsibility.

While accepting the quantity of drugs seized was substantial, Mr Sexton, submitted his client is a minor cog in the drugs trade.

Sentencing was adjourned to July 21, next.