By Jessica Magee
A delivery driver who was stopped in Dublin Port earlier this year had a million euro worth of cannabis in the back of his van, a court has heard.
Daljeet Singh (52) of Oldbury, West Midlands, United Kingdom, was also carrying boxes of foodstuffs and bottled water when he was stopped by customs during a routine search coming off the ferry from Holyhead.
He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing cannabis herb for sale or supply at Dublin Port on April 3, 2021.
At a hearing today, Garda Stephen Flynn said Singh told customs officers that he was taking a consignment of food and bottled water to Cork.
Officials checked the back of the van and found 50 bags of cannabis herb concealed in brown cardboard boxes, with an overall weight of 55 kg and an estimated street value of approximately €1 million.
Singh was taken to Store Street Garda Station where he was interviewed seven times.
During the first five interviews, Singh maintained he was contracted to deliver groceries to an address in Cork and that he had not packed the van himself or looked in it.
During the sixth interview, gardaí obtained a photo from Singh’s mobile phone taken from inside the van and he accepted that he had known he was transporting cannabis.
However, he said he thought it was just one bag of cannabis, not 50 bags.
Singh said he was to be paid £1,000 sterling, which he was going to use to clear an overdraft.
He told gardaí he had been subject to certain amount of pressure from third parties but he didn’t elaborate on this.
Singh has no previous convictions and lives with his two elderly parents in the UK, the court heard.
He has five daughters and a number of grandchildren.
Gda Flynn agreed with Garnet Orange SC, defending, that Singh had issues with alcohol and gambling which had precipitated his divorce and financial difficulties.
The prosecuting garda also agreed that Singh had been susceptible to pressure from more sinister aspects of the community to carry a load of drugs over to Ireland.
Mr Orange said although his client was initially in denial, he ultimately made full admissions and came forward on signed early pleas of guilty.
Counsel said Singh has been in custody since his arrest in April and that prison is necessarily more difficult for him, as he has no connections to this country.
Singh made a “catastrophic mistake”, counsel said and put himself in a position where he was under an obligation to sinister elements.
Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case for finalisation next week, November 13.