Man (44) who had cannabis hanging in bedroom of Louth house is jailed

By Francis Carroll, The Drogheda Independent

A 44-year-old man who admitted ownership of cannabis worth more than €200,000 which was found in his house has been jailed for two years and three months.

Marius Brazauaskas was before the circuit court for sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply with a value of €13,000 or more at Willow Dale, Bay Estate, Dundalk.

A second charge of cultivation of cannabis plants was taken into consideration.

The defendant, who has no previous convictions, initially told Gardaí that he was going to smoke the drugs and share them with friends. It was an implausible explanation.

Evidence was given that five individual kilos of vacuum packed cannabis were “ready to go".

Gda John Walsh testified that when officers arrived to search the house on May 20, 2024, the door was opened by Mr Brazauaskas. Two other men were present. There was a strong smell of cannabis.

The plants weighing 4kg were found hanging in a bedroom, while 4.5kg of the drug in vacuum packed bags were in a wardrobe, all valued €203,096.

It was the practice of Forensic Science Ireland to weigh the entire plant, not all of which would be useful as cannabis.

The defendant, a native of Lithuania, was arrested at the scene. He told investigators that he was going to smoke the drugs and share with friends. This was not accepted.

Gda Walsh told defence counsel that he said the drugs belonged to him. It was an implausible explanation they were for his own consumption. Five individual kilos were “ready to go”.

There was nothing to suggest Mr Brazauaskas, who had the assistance of an interpreter, was living the high life.

Senior Counsel Garnet Orange, instructed by solicitor Catherine Taaffe, said that the defendant had a tough mother and wasn’t from a background “open with opportunities”. His brother had died tragically in violent circumstances in 2009.

He moved around Europe working in construction. He had some training as a mechanic which he worked at locally having arrived in Ireland in 2023.

Mr Orange said that this matter was an opportunity to keep himself in funds and to generate money for his partner and child and other family members in Lithuania.

He co-operated, expressed remorse and pleaded early.

Judge Dara Hayes noted that the total value of €203,096 was actually to some degree lower given the practice to weigh all of the plant, but it was in any event a significant amount of drugs and many multiples of the €13,000 in the Section 15 (a) charge.

The defendant gave an explanation that the drugs were for his personal use. He no longer sought to stand over that improbable explanation.

A psychological report said that he began drinking and taking drugs in his early teens.

He had significant grief issues following his brother’s death.

A three-year, six-month sentence was imposed, the final 15 months conditionally suspended.