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US man gets 5.5 years for smuggling €540k in cannabis
Summary
Phung Sein Tran, 43, an American from Seattle, pleaded guilty to smuggling 27 kg of cannabis into Dublin Airport on 29 May. The drug, valued at €540,820, was found in two large suitcases after an X‑ray anomaly. Tran admitted the purpose was to smuggle the cannabis for €8,000, meeting an unknown person at the Burlington Hotel. He was arrested, entered custody on the same day, and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five and a half years in jail, a sentence backdated to the arrest date. Tran had cooperated with Gardaí, pleaded early, and had a good work history, though he has minor juvenile misdemeanour and traffic offences. He has shown remorse and is training with the Irish Red Cross in prison. The judge noted his previous good behaviour and unlikely re‑offending.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: US man gets 5.5 years for smuggling €540k in cannabis. Charges or matters: importing 27 kilograms of the drug for sale or supply into Dublin Airport on May 29 last. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- May 29 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2024-02-01 Publication
Why: Mr Greene said Tran has claimed that his partner and other family members have been subjected to threats abroad because he failed to complete the drug transaction, although Gda Shinkins said she was not aware of that. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: importing 27 kilograms of the drug for sale or supply into Dublin Airport on May 29 last (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Passing sentence today at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan said Tran was a mature man who took a risk and has to pay the price. The sentence was backdated when Tran went into custody on arrest.
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