Courts / Dublin / Report
Farmer jailed for transporting €2.5m in cocaine
Summary
A 45‑year‑old Latvian beef farmer, Dmitrijs Venskovics, was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to transporting 36 kg of cocaine worth €2.52 million. He admitted that a Russian man had offered him €150‑€200 to move a consignment of boxes in his lorry, which he later handed over to a Ford Transit van. Gardaí found the cocaine in the van's concealed compartment. Venskovics claimed he never handled the drugs and that his role was purely that of a transporter. He had no prior convictions and was in custody since his arrest. The judge noted his cooperation with the investigation, his low level of involvement, and his status as a family man, but emphasised the seriousness of the offence due to the amount of drugs involved. The sentence reflects the offence's gravity while acknowledging his limited role in the wider operation.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Farmer jailed for transporting €2.5m in cocaine. Charges or matters: have the 36Kg of cocaine, worth €2.52 million, for sale or supply on April 24, 2020 at Maxol service station at Stafffordstown, Donabate, Co Dublin. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- April 24, 2020 Incident
- 2020-11-11 Publication
Why: He said he was going to find life in an Irish prison very difficult because of the fact he had "little or no English". CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: have the 36Kg of cocaine, worth €2.52 million, for sale or supply on April 24, 2020 at Maxol service station at Stafffordstown, Donabate, Co Dublin (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Places mentioned
Topics
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