Courts / Dublin / Report

Cannabis smuggler caught after bag burst open at Dublin Airport

Summary

Riley Burke, a 25-year-old Canadian delivery driver, was jailed for five years after being caught with €716,000 worth of cannabis at Dublin Airport. Burke arrived on a flight from Toronto on July 26, 2025, and a suitcase containing cannabis burst open on the luggage belt. Customs officers used a dog to detect a second suitcase, which was also found to contain cannabis. The suitcases did not have Burke's name on them but belonged to two other individuals who were not on the flight. CCTV footage showed Burke waiting for the bags and checking the labels. Burke claimed he had forgotten that he had not checked any luggage and had mistakenly picked up the two suitcases. However, the garda did not accept this explanation. Burke has no previous convictions and has been in custody since his arrest. His defense argued that he was at the lowest rung of the ladder and had no financial interest in the drugs. Burke admitted to having a financial debt and said he was trying to pay it off.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Cannabis smuggler caught after bag burst open at Dublin Airport. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• July 26, 2025 Incident
• 2026-02-16 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report