Courts / Louth / Report

Suspicions of off-duty garda led to €1.3 million cannabis bust

Summary

A father and son from Drogheda have had their appeals against prison sentences dismissed by the Court of Appeal following their conviction for cannabis possession. Michael Devlin Snr and Michael Devlin Jnr pleaded guilty at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court to possessing cannabis worth €1.3 million with intent to supply at Cartown, Termonfeckin in September 2013. The discovery arose after an off-duty garda became suspicious of a lorry driver seeking a non-existent address and alerted colleagues. Gardaí subsequently found 262 packages containing 65.5 kilograms of cannabis during a coordinated operation. Devlin Snr, aged 61, received 12 years imprisonment with four years suspended, while Devlin Jnr, aged 40, received 12 years with two years suspended. The Court of Appeal found the sentences fell within the appropriate range for the offence's sophistication and dismissed both appeals.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Suspicions of off-duty garda led to €1.3 million cannabis bust. Charges or matters: possession of cannabis for sale or supply at Cartown, Termonfeckin on September 20, 2013. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

• September 20, 2013 Incident
• October 24, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2016-02-26 Publication

Why: The off-duty garda immediatly became suspcious because he had served in the area and did not recognise the company the driver was looking for or the address. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Appeal

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Read the original CNI report