Courts / Dublin / Report

Drug mule 'nearly cried' when customs officers discovered bag of cannabis

Summary

Kieran O'Dea, aged 40, was sentenced to four years and nine months in custody after pleading guilty to possession for sale or supply of cannabis at Dublin Airport on 18 August 2024. He travelled to Thailand to collect drugs to repay a debt of €8,000 and was told by creditors that failure to comply would have consequences. O'Dea claimed he believed the bag contained clothing and a small amount of cannabis, but customs officers found 24 kg of cannabis, worth an estimated €480,000. He had a history of drug addiction since 2017, had previously been convicted of drug dealing and possession, and had attempted rehabilitation. The judge noted his efforts to overcome addiction but highlighted the substantial quantity of drugs involved in this offence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Drug mule 'nearly cried' when customs officers discovered bag of cannabis. Charges or matters: possession for sale or supply of cannabis at Dublin Airport on August 18, 2024. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• August 18, 2024 Incident
• 2025-10-14 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report