Former publican caught moving €2.5m in cocaine

A 59-year-old man from Cootehill in Cavan has been sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for his role in transporting cocaine valued at €2.5 million. The former publican pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the drugs for sale or supply in Lusk on April 24, 2020. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, conducted surveillance on a truck arriving from Latvia and observed the man collecting three boxes at a Dublin service station before transferring them to his own van. A subsequent search revealed one kilogram of cocaine beneath the front passenger seat and 35 kilograms in a security compartment. The defendant claimed he had been paid €2,000 to transport the items but made no inquiries about their contents. Judge Martin Nolan noted his role was limited to transportation under direction of others and imposed a sentence matching that given to the truck driver involved in the operation.