Derek Landers jailed for five years over cannabis possession

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Derek Landers was jailed for five years for possessing cannabis for sale or supply. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence at Promenade Road, Dublin 1, on 18 May 2023. The proceedings were reported on 17 December 2024.

Garda Dermot O’Sullivan told the court that customs officers intercepted a pallet at Dublin Port and an operation was put in place with gardaí to monitor it. Landers arrived in a rental van, loaded the pallet and drove out of the yard before gardaí stopped him on Promenade Road.

Garda O’Sullivan said the pallet contained towels concealing two layers of vacuum-packed cannabis, weighing 54kg and with an estimated street value of €1,046,000. He agreed with defence counsel Paul Murray SC that Landers had told gardaí he thought he was collecting horse feed, and acknowledged that the drugs would not have been immediately apparent.

It was accepted that Landers told gardaí he had been told he would receive €250 for his role, but later admitted he had been asked by a man to do a job for €1,000. Garda O’Sullivan accepted a suggestion that Landers was not at the top rung of the ladder, although he controlled a large quantity of drugs.

Mr Murray said Landers offered an unequivocal apology to his family, society and the court. He said Landers had fallen on hard times during the Covid-19 pandemic and had been unable to find work.

Judge Elva Duffy acknowledged evidence that Landers was not at the top rung of the ladder and said he appeared frightened of the others involved. She said he had succumbed to the temptation of easy money, acknowledged his guilty plea and jailed him for five years.