Courts / Dublin / Report
'Boss man' middle management in €3m drugs operation gets seven years
Summary
A man described as middle management in a significant drug operation has been sentenced to seven years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Philip Lawless, aged 48 and from Leixlip, County Kildare, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and cocaine worth over €3.18 million for sale or supply at two Dublin locations on 3 April 2024. Gardaí conducted surveillance operations last April, tracking vehicles to a storage unit in Ballymount, Tallaght, and a subsequent stop on Beresford Street, Dublin 7. Searches uncovered substantial quantities of drugs at both locations. Phone analysis revealed Lawless was directing the activity of two other men, with one having saved his contact as "boss man". Evidence indicated he received instructions from a person further up the operation's hierarchy. Judge Dara Hayes imposed a headline sentence of twelve and a half years, reduced to eight and a half years, with the final eighteen months suspended. Lawless must engage with the Probation Service upon release.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Boss man' middle management in €3m drugs operation gets seven years. Charges or matters: possession of the drugs for sale or supply at two separate locations in Dublin on April 3, 2024 last. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- April 3, 2024 Incident
- 2024-12-18 Publication
Why: He accepted that Lawless's remorse is genuine and the defendant's position that he got involved in this operation because he had amassed a drug debt due to his own addiction. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: possession of the drugs for sale or supply at two separate locations in Dublin on April 3, 2024 last (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Hayes said the case warranted a headline sentence of 12 and a half years before he imposed a sentence of eight and a half years. He suspended the final 18 months of the sentence in order to encourage Lawless to return to a law abiding lifestyle, to encourage his rehabilitation from drug addiction and to encourage his re-integration back into society.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
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