Courts / Dublin / Report
"Cog in the machine" gets eight years over €1.3m drugs bust
Summary
Eoin Morrow, a 38‑year‑old bricklayer from Dundalk, was sentenced to eight years in prison for possessing €1.38 million worth of cannabis resin and prescription drugs. Gardaí, using confidential information, set up a surveillance operation on a Scania truck that met Morrow's Volkswagen Jetta. The truck driver, John Needham, 31, and Morrow removed boxes of cannabis and 29 boxes of Zopiclone tablets onto a trolley bound for a storage unit in Newcourt Business Park, Finglas. A subsequent search uncovered 96 kg of cannabis, valued at €580,200, and 400,000 Zopiclone pills, valued at €800,000. Morrow pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis resin and supplying a prescription‑only drug on 25 July 2015. He had 15 prior convictions, including assault, burglary and theft. He had taken a bench warrant, fled to Europe, but returned and surrendered.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: "Cog in the machine" gets eight years over €1.3m drugs bust. Charges or matters: possessing cannabis resin and supplying a prescription-only drug at St Margaret's Road, Finglas, Dublin on July 25, 2015; the same drugs offences and was sentenced to eight years for his role in 2016. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- July 25, 2015 Incident
- June 2016 Other
- 2018-11-07 Publication
Why: Mr Orange told Judge Melanie Greally that people who benefit in the drugs trade do not need to handle the substances "because other people are susceptible to threats and inducements and will do the dirty work for them". CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: possessing cannabis resin and supplying a prescription-only drug at St Margaret's Road, Finglas, Dublin on July 25, 2015; the same drugs offences and was sentenced to eight years for his role in 2016 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: She imposed an eight-year sentence with credit given for all jail time Morrow has served on the matter.
Defendant
Charges: possessing cannabis resin and supplying a prescription-only drug at St Margaret's Road, Finglas, Dublin on July 25, 2015; the same drugs offences and was sentenced to eight years for his role in 2016 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Newcourt Business Park
- St Margaret's Road
- Dublin
Topics
Burglary Drugs Stage Sentence Theft Violent Crime
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