Brazilian woman jailed for importing cocaine

By Eimear Dodd

A Brazilian woman has been handed a three-year prison sentence after she was caught at Dublin Airport carrying over €139,000 worth of cocaine in her suitcase.

Ana Gomes De Limeira (30) of no fixed abode in Brazil pleaded guilty to one count of possession of cocaine for sale or supply on March 28, 2022, at Dublin Airport. She has no previous convictions and was assisted by an interpreter to follow the court proceedings.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Friday that customs officials detained the accused following a search of her suitcase. A jacket and a small pillow were found to contain blue packages of white powder, which was identified as cocaine.

When analysed, the packages contained just over 2kg of the drug, with a value of over €139,000.

Gomes De Limeira was arrested and interviewed with an interpreter present.

The accused acknowledged it was her suitcase and told gardai she was given the items by a friend in Sao Paulo, who also paid for her flights and accommodation.

She had only known this person for a few months.

Garda Emmet O’Byrne told Michael Hourigan BL, prosecuting, that the accused asked during interview if the death penalty is imposed in Ireland.

The Brazilian authorities confirmed she was arrested as a teenager.

Gda O’Byrne agreed with James Dwyer SC, defending, that his client was travelling alone, provided her itinerary and has no links to Ireland.

She had been sent forward from the District Court on a signed plea and has been in custody on this count alone since March.

Mr Dwyer told the court that his client is from Sao Paulo and her sister continues to reside there. His client has limited English and is on an enhanced prisoner regime in the Dochas centre.

He said she has had limited contact with her family during her time in custody and only obtained a video link with them in August.

His client was working in the black market in Brazil and was in contact with bad people.

She got into debt, which is still unpaid. Mr Dwyer said his client wished to apologise.

Judge Martin Nolan said the court must infer that the cocaine was being brought into Ireland for use in this country.

He said the accused got an offer from a third party and succumbed to temptation.

While she was at the lowest level of the criminal enterprise, the accused deserved prison time for her involvement.

Judge Nolan said the accused is unlikely to re-offend in this jurisdiction and is likely to go home on her release.

Noting the difficulties for a Brazilian citizen with limited English in an Irish prison and other mitigating factors, Judge Nolan imposed a sentence of three years, backdated to March 28, 2022.