Courts / Dublin / Report

Bizarre case of 75-year-old Canadian caught with €80k in cocaine

Summary

In a case described by the judge as "bizarre", a 75‑year‑old Canadian man, Edward Bystrom, was arrested on Temple Street, Dublin, on 3 September 2023 for possession of over €80,000 worth of cocaine. Gardaí found two black packages of white powder in his laptop bag, which tested positive for cocaine. Bystrom, who had no prior convictions in Ireland or elsewhere, told the police that he had been asked by "agents of the United Nations" to collect money. He claimed to have travelled from Canada to New York, Brazil and back to the USA before arriving in Ireland, and said he had not profited from the drugs. He pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, suspended 18 months, and ordered him to leave Ireland within a week of release and not to return for ten years.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Bizarre case of 75-year-old Canadian caught with €80k in cocaine. Charges or matters: possession of drugs on Temple Street, Dublin, on September 3, 2023. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• September 3, 2023 Incident
• 2024-02-23 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report