Courts / Dublin / Report

Swiss bank clerk smuggled drugs after falling victim to internet scam

Summary

Angelo Zullino, a 49‑year‑old former Swiss bank clerk, was stopped by customs at Dublin Airport while preparing to fly to London. Officers, acting on a confidential tip‑off, searched his luggage and found 5.4 kilos of cocaine hidden in false inserts and an empty laptop bag. The drugs were valued at €382,620. Zullino had been lured into the smuggling scheme after falling for a fake inheritance internet scam involving a woman named Chantelle who claimed she owed him £275,000. He paid £200,000 and later was told to travel to Dubai to collect luggage that supposedly contained documents for a London property transfer. He was convicted of possession of cocaine for sale or supply on 27 September 2015 and sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, back‑dated to the September he entered custody. Angelo Zullino pleaded guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Swiss bank clerk smuggled drugs after falling victim to internet scam. Charges or matters: possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Dublin Airport on September 27, 2015. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• September 27, 2015 Incident
• 2016-06-10 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report