Nathan McDonnell jailed for 12 years over crystal meth importation

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

Nathan McDonnell was sentenced at the Special Criminal Court on 28 February 2025 to 12 years in prison for importing crystal meth and six years concurrently for facilitating an organised crime group. Ms Justice Melanie Greally presided with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Gráinne Malone.

McDonnell pleaded guilty to importing methylamphetamine at Cork Port on 16 October 2023 and to facilitating the activities of a criminal organisation between that date and 12 February 2024.

He stored a machine containing crystal meth valued at €32.4 million at Ballyseedy Garden Centre in Tralee and arranged its export to Australia. McDonnell denied knowing what was inside and said he had “turned a blind eye”; he said he had agreed to store it for €150,000 because of his dire financial circumstances. Ms Justice Greally said he had enough information to “join the dots” and know drugs were involved.

The judge said his tasks involved a high level of trust and responsibility. She acknowledged that he acted on the direction of, and feared, a named individual. In mitigation, she considered his early guilty plea, co-operation, previous good character and the shame and embarrassment suffered by his family. The court also considered the danger he faced in prison after an assault.

In an earlier proceeding, McDonnell was charged with possession of crystal meth worth more than €13,000 for sale or supply at the garden centre between 27 October 2023 and 12 February 2024. On 16 May 2024, the Court of Appeal refused his appeal against a High Court decision denying him bail.