Courts / Dublin / Report

Jail for drugs mule who smuggled €138k in cocaine under threat

Date
2024-02-01
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Lucas Procopio Jefferson, 24, was sentenced to two years in prison for smuggling 1.9 kilos of cocaine, worth about €138,000, into Dublin Port on 1 June last year. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan described the offence as a "crime of desperation" carried out to relieve threats against him and his family, and possibly for profit. Jefferson came from a very poor background in rural Brazil, had lived in Portugal for several years, and had no prior convictions in Ireland, Brazil or Portugal. Garda officers stopped him at the immigration desk, examined his suitcase and found the concealed compartment with the drugs. Jefferson cooperated and made admissions. He is seeking asylum in Ireland and has used his time in custody constructively, working in the kitchen and studying. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of his arrest in June.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jail for drugs mule who smuggled €138k in cocaine under threat. Charges or matters: the importation of controlled drugs for sale or supply at the port on June 1 last year. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan described it as a "crime of desperation" committed in order to alleviate certain threats and probably for profit. CNI source report

Case subjects

Lucas Procopio Jefferson

Defendant

Charges: the importation of controlled drugs for sale or supply at the port on June 1 last year (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: The sentence was backdated to the date of Jefferson's arrest last June.

Places mentioned

Secondary Mention
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Incident
Facility
  • Irish prison

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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