Man jailed for importing over €500,000 of cannabis

By Jessica Magee

A man who flew into Dublin Airport carrying over half a million euro worth of cannabis has been jailed for four and a half years.

Adrian Mah Yew Bing (40) told gardaí he thought there might be cigarettes in the two locked suitcases he was carrying, but that he hadn’t packed them himself.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Beng was stopped by customs officers earlier this year after he was spotted acting in a suspicious and evasive manner.

Beng, with an address in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis herb valued at €560,000 for sale or supply, on February 28 last.

He has no previous convictions in any jurisdiction.

Passing sentence on Thursday, Judge Martin Nolan said that although drug transportation was a serious matter, Beng was probably at the lowest level.

Judge Nolan set a headline sentence of eight years but reduced this to a custodial term of four and a half years, backdated to February 28.

Garda Peter Elliot told Diarmuid Collins BL, prosecuting, that Beng initially told gardaí he was coming from Thailand.

When Beng’s two suitcases were x-rayed, officers saw an anomaly and opened the luggage.

It contained 56 vacuum-sealed packages comprising 30kg of cannabis.

Beng said he expected to be met by somebody in the Arrivals Hall and that he was to be paid the sum of 25,000 Thai baht, which is equivalent to around €600, for his services.

Beng did not have keys to the suitcases and told gardaí that although he knew he was carrying illicit material, he thought it might be cigars or cigarettes due to the light weight.

Gda Elliot agreed with John Byrne SC, defending, that Beng had pleaded very early and had been cooperative with gardaí.

The garda agreed with counsel that Beng was not known to any international police organisations and was “just a Joe Soap from Malaysia”.

Mr Byrne said of Beng: “He took a chance for small money and he got caught.”

The court heard that Beng is happy to leave Ireland and not return once he has completed his sentence.

Beng has two children and also cares for his mother, who wrote a letter to court.

Beng also wrote a letter which was handed to the judge.

Counsel said Beng is completely isolated in Ireland from his family and supports but is doing well in prison.