Jail term for convicted killer arrested in Louth drugs growhouse four days after arriving in Ireland
A convicted killer was just four days in Ireland when he was arrested in a cannabis growhouse, the circuit court has been told.
Renaldas Talocka (54) was present when gardaí raided a house at Barn Road, Dunleer, Co. Louth and found €170,000 drugs inside.
The defendant, who appeared via video link and had the assistance of a Lithuanian interpreter, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply with a value of €13,000 or more, on February 4, 2025. He has been in cusody since.
The court heard that he has previous convictions, most in Lithuania, for intentional killing, minor bodily injury, criminal damage and theft.
Judge Dara Hayes jailed him for three years and three months, backdated to February 4, 2025.
A High Court order has directed that he be handed over to the authorities in Northern Ireland on expiry of that sentence for alleged similar offending and possession of a firearm.
Gda Leon Fox testified that gardaí with a search warrant breached the front door of the premises and once inside got a strong smell of cannabis.
The house had been converted for the cultivation of cannabis. Mr Talocka and a co-accused were present.
Upstairs were 60 mature cannabis plants valued €48,000, while 6.13kg of harvested material downstairs for drying amounted to €122,696.
The defendant was arrested and brought to Drogheda Garda Station where he told investigators that he wasn’t involved in cultivation.
He said that he arrived four days earlier in Dublin for a job making furniture, had nowhere to sleep and was offered accommodation at the Dunleer address.
He wasn’t allowed into certains rooms, only his own room, the kitchen and toilet.
Cross-examined by Rod O’Hanlon SC, Gda Fox said that the man’s passport reflected that he had arrived four days previously.
He had spent 26 to 28 years of his life in custody in Lithuania.
Mr O’Hanlon said that the cultivation operation had been in existence for some time.
His client had a poor recored and will be his 60s before all sentences are completed.
Judge Hayes said that this was a sophisticated operation and a considerable quantity of cannabis by any measure.
A co-accused, who received a three-and-a-half year sentence, the last 6 months suspended, had been there for 6 months beforehand.
Imposing a jail term on Renaldas Talocka as outlined, the judge said that there was no evidential basis to suspend any portion of it, not least that he has to be surrendered to the authorities in Northern Ireland upon the conclusion of the sentence.