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'Not a criminal mastermind': drugs mule rumbled after returning to airport for lost luggage

Summary

A judge has said that an Italian drugs mule who was rumbled when he went back to Dublin airport to seek out his lost luggage containing €294,000 in cannabis was 'not a criminal mastermind'. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Alfonso Turano had completed a lost luggage form in his real name and replied 'Mamma mia!' when he was told what was in the suitcase. Turano (41) arrived in Ireland the day before the suitcase, which contained 14.7kg of cannabis. The defendant, with an address in Calabro, Italy pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on March 1, 2025 at Dublin Airport. Today, Judge Ronan Munro handed Turano a four-year sentence, with the final 20 months suspended for 10 years on strict conditions. The judge said the court accepted that Turano was 'not a criminal mastermind', but was also satisfied that the defendant would have known the suitcase contained illicit substances.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'Not a criminal mastermind': drugs mule rumbled after returning to airport for lost luggage. Charges or matters: possession of cannabis for sale or supply on March 1, 2025 at Dublin Airport. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• March 1, 2025 Incident
• 2026-01-28 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report