Michael Smullen jailed for possessing €3.5m of drugs

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

Michael Smullen was jailed for nine years for possessing drugs valued at €3,592,374. The proceedings were reported on 14 February 2019.

Smullen pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of possessing drugs at St Joseph's Avenue and St Columba's Road Lower in Drumcondra, Dublin. The offences occurred on 20 December 2017.

Gardaí saw Smullen take two bags from a lock-up, drive a short distance and hand them to another man. Detective Garda Patrick Hearne said the bags contained cannabis and cocaine worth over €114,900. Investigators subsequently found cocaine, heroin, ketamine, cannabis herb and resin, and MDMA in the lock-up.

Michael O'Higgins SC, defending, said Smullen had offered to take over his cousin's debt to dealers and that the debt was called in during the summer of 2017. He said Smullen felt under pressure, which was why he became involved. Detective Garda Hearne agreed with counsel that Smullen had not owned the drugs.

Mr O'Higgins asked the judge to take Smullen's early guilty plea into account and suspend the final part of his sentence. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a nine-year prison sentence, noting that his involvement was not due to addiction. She also noted his remorse and the lack of any trappings of material wealth.