Cheong Sik Hong jailed for cannabis possession

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Cheong Sik Hong was jailed for three years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing cannabis for sale or supply. He pleaded guilty. The proceedings were reported on 21 January 2025.

Hong admitted possessing 14kg of cannabis, valued at an estimated €281,000, at Dublin Airport on 7 July 2024. He told gardaí he believed the suitcase contained edible bird nests and expected payment for carrying them.

Garda Jamie Connor agreed with defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC that gardaí accepted Hong had given a true account of his involvement. Connor also accepted that analysis of Hong’s phone and messages supported his explanation.

Judge Martin Nolan took account of Hong’s early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions and co-operation with the Garda investigation before imposing sentence.