Courts / Dublin / Report

Lithuanian who swallowed 49 pellets of cocaine is jailed for three years

Summary

Marius Vardauskas, a 25‑year‑old Lithuanian resident of Ilford, Essex, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine after he swallowed 49 pellets of the drug in an attempt to smuggle it into Ireland. The pellets were discovered on an X‑ray at a hospital following his arrest. Garda John O'Reilly reported that customs officers had been suspicious of Vardauskas after he was stopped for questioning following a flight from Madrid, which had originated in Brazil. He could not provide the required visa stamps or a Dublin address, and his luggage was scanned with no findings. Vardauskas denied concealing drugs, but the pellets were later confirmed to contain cocaine. He claimed he was pressured into the scheme and that his mother had been a victim of domestic violence in Lithuania, motivating him to raise money for her.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Lithuanian who swallowed 49 pellets of cocaine is jailed for three years. Charges or matters: possession of the drugs, worth €34,000 at Dublin Airport on October 19, 2014. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• October 19, 2014 Incident
• 2015-04-15 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Airport Incidents Domestic Abuse Drugs Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report