Courts / Dublin / Report

Drugs mule had 'affair' with teacher when he was 14, court hears

Summary

Lemos Luise Rocha, 24, from São Paulo, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for smuggling 1.23 kg of cocaine worth €80,000 onto an aircraft. He admitted possession of the drugs at Dublin Airport on 31 March 2024 and explained that he swallowed half of the pellets while the remainder was wrapped around his groin and in his shoes. Rocha claimed he was coerced by a man who promised a "nice life" and offered him a hamper and €500. He also said he had an affair with his teacher when he was 14 and has a child with her. The court noted his lack of prior convictions, his fear for his life, and the fact that he was a foreign national. Judge Martin Nolan, after considering the mitigating circumstances, imposed a three‑year term, back‑dating it to 31 March 2024 for time already spent in custody. Lemos Luise Rocha pleaded guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Drugs mule had 'affair' with teacher when he was 14, court hears. Charges or matters: possession of cocaine at Dublin Airport on March 31, 2024. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• March 31, 2024 Incident
• 2025-01-27 Publication

Why: 23kg in drugs because he met a man with a nice car who told him he had "done something to have a nice life". CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report