Jamie Smith jailed for transporting cannabis worth almost €3.9m

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

Jamie Smith, a 27-year-old fitness instructor from Corbaliss Cottages in Donabate, Dublin, was jailed for six and a half years for transporting cannabis from Cavan to Dublin. He pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis. The offence took place in the Balbriggan area of north Dublin on 26 May 2023. The proceedings were reported on 27 January 2025.

Detective Garda Gavin O’Gara told the court that surveillance had been organised after information was received about a van and an occupant involved in collecting drugs. Smith collected a rented van in Finglas and travelled to Cavan, where he spoke to another person who drove the van away. Smith later returned to the van and drove towards Dublin. Gardaí stopped him near Balbriggan and seized a phone showing communication about the goods in the van and his route.

Detective Garda O’Gara said 186kg of cannabis herb and 291 bars of cannabis resin, worth just under €3.9 million, were found in the van. Under defence cross-examination, he said that, in his opinion, Smith was not controlling the whole operation.

Smith had no previous convictions and had experienced financial problems. He told gardaí he had been offered a one-off payment to drive the van. Defence counsel said Smith would not have known the quantity of drugs involved and that his ADHD would have caused a greater degree of impulsivity and lack of self-regulation.

Judge Martin Nolan said Smith’s cooperation and early plea allowed him to depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years. He noted Smith’s good work history and agreed with his probation officer that he was unlikely to reoffend.