Courts / Dublin / Report

'Ordinary hard-working man' who moved €3.9m in cannabis is jailed for eight years

Date
2024-11-14

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

A 43-year-old cabinet maker from Boyle, Co Roscommon, has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to drug offences. Justin McCormack pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis worth €3.9 million for sale or supply at a business unit in Fairview and in a white transit van on 11 and 12 October 2023. Gardaí stopped McCormack while driving the van on the evening of 11 October and discovered a substantial quantity of cannabis. A subsequent search of the business unit, which McCormack had been using for his kitchen manufacturing trade, uncovered a further 1,174 kilograms of cannabis. Judge Orla Crowe imposed concurrent sentences of nine years on each count, suspending the final twelve months. The judge acknowledged McCormack's financial difficulties but stated that financial hardship alone does not justify criminal involvement. She noted his active role in transporting and storing the drugs constituted significant aggravating factors. The sentence was backdated to October 2023 when McCormack entered custody.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'Ordinary hard-working man' who moved €3.9m in cannabis is jailed for eight years. Charges or matters: possessing the drugs for sale or supply at a business unit in Fairview and in a white transit van on October 11 and 12 last year. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

October 11 Incident
October 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
October 13, 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
2024-11-14 Publication

Case subjects

Justin McCormack

Defendant

Charges: possessing the drugs for sale or supply at a business unit in Fairview and in a white transit van on October 11 and 12 last year (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: She also noted that he had made an immediate admission in the van, however, she said that there were significant aggravating factors. "Clearly, he was trusted to store huge amounts of drugs, which he was transporting around the city," she said. "His active involvement can't be overlooked." She imposed concurrent sentences of nine years on each count and suspended the final 12 months. The sentence was backdated to when McCormack went into custody in October 2023.