Suspicions of off-duty garda led to €1.3 million cannabis bust

A father and son from Drogheda have had their appeals against prison sentences dismissed by the Court of Appeal following their conviction for cannabis possession. Michael Devlin Snr and Michael Devlin Jnr pleaded guilty at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court to possessing cannabis worth €1.3 million with intent to supply at Cartown, Termonfeckin in September 2013. The discovery arose after an off-duty garda became suspicious of a lorry driver seeking a non-existent address and alerted colleagues. Gardaí subsequently found 262 packages containing 65.5 kilograms of cannabis during a coordinated operation. Devlin Snr, aged 61, received 12 years imprisonment with four years suspended, while Devlin Jnr, aged 40, received 12 years with two years suspended. The Court of Appeal found the sentences fell within the appropriate range for the offence's sophistication and dismissed both appeals.