Clondalkin man jailed for role in organised crime group

By Jessica Magee

A man has been jailed for eight and a half years for his role in an organised crime group involved in international money laundering and drug trafficking.

David Callaghan (33) was sentenced to thirteen and a half years in prison, with the final five years suspended, after he pleaded guilty to assisting or facilitating the criminal organisation’s activities between April 29, 2021 and February 4, 2022.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that gardaí investigating the Callaghan organised crime group discovered an electronic ledger detailing transactions of over €924,000 over an eight-month period between June 2021 and January 2022.

In a ruling on Wednesday, Judge Martin Nolan said there was no doubt that Callaghan was involved at a high level in a serious criminal organisation involved in dealing and distributing drugs and laundering large amounts of money.

“It’s a profitable organisation, and he’s important to them,” said the judge.

Judge Nolan suspended the final five years of the sentence due to mitigating factors, including the tragic death of three of Callaghan’s siblings.

“Callaghan is an intelligent man; I suspect very intelligent. He can change if he wants to,” added Judge Nolan.

Callaghan, a father of two from Harelawn Park, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, has four previous minor convictions, including failure to produce a driving licence.

A prosecuting garda told John Berry SC, for the State, that confidential information was received about a transfer of money relating to the crime group in a Spar car park in Swords on a certain date.

There appeared to be some confusion between two men who met in the car park, who both thought they were to give money to the other.

Gardaí intervened and found €53,000 in one of the men’s cars and €320,000 in a secret compartment of the other car.

The concealment was operated by a hydraulic lift and contained a small amount of drugs as well as the cash.

The driver of this car also had a mobile phone, which was seized by gardaí. When analysed, it provided a wealth of information leading to Callaghan’s arrest.

The court heard that the phone contained hundreds of texts, voice notes, videos and photos on the Signal messaging app showing a pattern of regular communication between Callaghan and the driver of the second car.

The messages comprised of instructions given by Callaghan to this man relating to money laundering, drug trafficking and the operations of Callaghan’s organisation.

Among the messages were photos and videos of drugs, bundles of cash, tick lists and drug paraphernalia, as well as an electronic ledger showing the dispersal of funds.

Between June 2021 and January 2022, the sum of over €924,000 went through this ledger, the court heard.

Other messages included instructions about how to operate the secret compartment, to get a logbook for the car, and how to get hold of a clamp press used to assemble bricks of cocaine for onward transportation.

At one point in November 2021, the driver of the car sent a message to Callaghan about a news report on the seizure of €20 million euro worth of cocaine at Dublin Port.

“See it, bro,” replied Callaghan.

“Is that?” texted the driver, to which Callaghan replied: “Not sure yet, could be.”

“Hopefully not,” replied the driver.

Callaghan texted back later: “It was.”

Gardaí got warrants to search Callaghan’s house and a number of other properties. In one house, gardaí found 25 kg of benzocaine, a local anaesthetic used in dentistry but also as a cutting agent for cocaine.

Callaghan was arrested and exercised his right to silence during interview but submitted an early guilty plea, the court heard.

The prosecuting garda agreed with Michael Bowman SC, defending, that Callaghan was always courteous and never difficult to deal with or aggressive.

Mr Bowman detailed Callaghan’s difficult family environment where his father struggled with alcohol and his mother left the family home when he was aged 14.

Three of Callaghan’s siblings died tragically, the court heard, including one from an overdose, and Callaghan found another brother’s body in the family home.

Counsel said Callaghan never sought counselling for this trauma and instead self-medicated, struggling with addiction himself.

Callaghan wrote a letter to the court expressing regret and acknowledging the harm inflicted on his family.

Callaghan made a promise to his children not to become involved in this sort of activity after his release from prison and acknowledged that his eight-year-old, described as his “best pal,” would suffer due to his actions.

“His two daughters are the focus of his efforts now. He is resolved to do better,” counsel said.

Testimonials were also handed in from Callaghan’s wife, in-laws, friends and from several of his previous employers.