Courts / Dublin / Report

€1.7 million in cannabis hidden in vintage clothing, court hears

Date
2017-03-03
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dean McCarthy, aged 26, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for possessing €1.674 million worth of cannabis hidden in a consignment of vintage clothing. The drugs were discovered by a customs officer at Highland Shipping in Finglas, who found 115 packets weighing nearly 84 kg. Gardaí re‑packaged the clothes and allowed the owner to collect them. On 26 June 2015, McCarthy drove a transit van to the business park, collected the pallet under undercover Garda surveillance, and later handed the keys to another man. The van was seized by Gardaí, prompting the driver to flee. McCarthy was arrested that night, denied knowledge of the contents, and pleaded guilty. The court noted his 12 prior minor convictions, his early guilty plea, and mitigating personal circumstances, including a difficult upbringing and family support, before sentencing him to six years in jail.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: €1.7 million in cannabis hidden in vintage clothing, court hears. Charges or matters: possession of €1.674 million of cannabis in Finglas on June 26, 2015. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: Counsel said McCarthy understood the seriousness of his offence and that his family were living a nightmare because of it. CNI source report

Case subjects

Dean McCarthy

Defendant

Charges: possession of €1.674 million of cannabis in Finglas on June 26, 2015 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Journey Or Route
Incident
  • Balbutcher Lane
Residence
  • Finnebar Square

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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