Courts / Dublin / Report

Greek pizza driver 'shocked' to discover luggage contained €276k in cannabis

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 46‑year‑old Greek pizza delivery driver Georgious Nikolas pleaded guilty to importing 13.8 kg of cannabis, valued at about €276,000, after customs officials discovered the drugs in his luggage on 19 October. Nikolas had believed he was transporting tax documents for a business, not drugs, and was shocked, angry and upset when told the contents. He admitted to the customs officers and later to Gardaí, claiming he wanted extra money for his son's education and had been offered €500 by an acquaintance. He had no prior convictions in Ireland or elsewhere. The judge, citing his cooperation, early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions and personal circumstances, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, back‑dated to his arrest, and suspended the final 18 months, leaving him in custody for the remaining 18 months.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Greek pizza driver 'shocked' to discover luggage contained €276k in cannabis. Charges or matters: the importation of cannabis. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• October 19 Incident
• 2024-06-24 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report