Courts / Kildare / Report
'A Bad Year': Man (54) paid €100 to move over €3.2m in cannabis gets six years
Summary
A 54‑year‑old man from Hazelmere, Naas, Co. Kildare, with no prior convictions, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for transporting over €3.2 million worth of cannabis. He admitted to possessing 161.5 kg of the drug on the M50 motorway on 20 March 2024, after being paid €100 to drive a van that had been seized by Gardaí. The van, stopped on the M50, contained boxes of suspected cannabis; a mobile phone and a lottery ticket were also found. Cox claimed he was unaware of the contents, stating he only knew he was to meet a person. He had been suffering financial hardship following a heart bypass, a motorbike accident, a marital break‑up and homelessness. The court noted his guilty plea, cooperation with Gardaí, lack of prior convictions and financial difficulties, and imposed a six‑year sentence, a decision made after considering the mandatory minimum of ten years and mitigating circumstances.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'A Bad Year': Man (54) paid €100 to move over €3.2m in cannabis gets six years. Charges or matters: the possession of 161.5kg cannabis at the M50 motorway on March 20, 2024. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- March 20, 2024 Incident
- 2025-01-15 Publication
Why: " Cox was interviewed on three occasions, when he told gardai he couldn't give information because he was scared for his life. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: the possession of 161.5kg cannabis at the M50 motorway on March 20, 2024 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: A 54-year-old man with no previous convictions who was paid €100 to transport over three million euro in cannabis has been jailed for six years.
Places mentioned
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