Courts / Dublin / Report

Jail for man who tried to import €50k worth of cannabis from Thailand

Summary

An English man, Alexander Kay, 26, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for importing almost €50,000 worth of cannabis into Ireland. Kay initially claimed he was bringing the drugs home from Thailand because they were cheaper, but later admitted the cannabis was not for his own use. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence of importation at Dublin Airport on 21 November 2024. Customs officers found the drugs in his luggage while he was transiting through Dublin from Abu Dhabi on his return from Thailand. Kay had no prior convictions. His defence counsel argued that Kay was acting to clear a drug debt and had cooperated with authorities, citing his early guilty plea and personal circumstances. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of five years but imposed the reduced term, noting substantial mitigation.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jail for man who tried to import €50k worth of cannabis from Thailand. Charges or matters: the importation of cannabis at Dublin Airport on November 21, 2024. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• November 21, 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2025-07-18 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report