Artist smuggler believed drugs were precious metals 

Dublin People 05 Dec 2024

By Eimear Dodd 

An artist who had over €270,000 worth of cannabis in her possession at Dublin Airport thought she was carrying precious metals to avoid customs fees; a court has been told. 

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that a customs sniffer dog gave an indication on a large pink suitcase which had arrived on a flight from Toronto in Canada on March 26, 2024. 

The suitcase was collected by Joanna Zochowska (40), who pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply. 

Approximately 13.5kg of cannabis herb, valued at €270,208, was found in the suitcase, the court heard. 

Today, Judge Dara Hayes handed Zochowska a three-year and three-month sentence, with the final 21 months suspended. 

Judge Hayes noted that Zochowska’s belief she was carrying precious metals to evade customs duty was itself illegal. 

The judge said Zochowska was a woman of “considerable accomplishments”, and it was “unusual to see someone of such accomplishments coming before the court” for these types of offences. 

But he said this also meant that she “ought to have known better” and was naive to agree to “take a suitcase and fly it to a country she had no connection to without knowing what is in it”. 

The court heard Zochowska told customs officials she hadn’t packed the suitcase herself and was travelling to meet a friend. 

When interviewed by gardai, she said she made contact with an individual through an app, who said they lived in Ireland and asked her to bring them a bag. 

Zochowska told gardai she thought the bag contained precious metals and she was being asked to bring the bag in order to avoid customs fees.

She said she was offered $10,000 Canadian dollars, and $1,000 was transferred to her to pay for flights. 

She said the bag was delivered to her before the flight.

Zochowska said her financial circumstances were difficult and accepted she was very naive.

She has no previous convictions. 

The court heard that Zochowska is a Polish national of no fixed abode.

She is a painter and sculptor with a PhD who was living in Edmonton, Canada. 

The investigating garda agreed with Michael Lynn SC, defending, that his client was fully co-operative and made full admissions. 

It was further accepted that Zuchowska told gardai she was in an abusive relationship and put under pressure to get money. 

The garda agreed with Mr Lynn that his client acted as a courier at the “bottom of the chain” in an “unsophisticated operation”.

It was further accepted that she appeared highly vulnerable. 

Mr Lynn asked the court to take into account his client’s early pleas, her personal circumstances and that she is a foreign national. 

He noted there were inconsistencies in her account of what happened but asked the court to accept she was vulnerable and in an abusive relationship. 

Mr Lynn submitted to the court that his client had contributed to society as an artist whose work has been exhibited. 

He suggested her offending had come about due to “naivety and vulnerability”. 

Judge Hayes said the court accepted she was naive, under pressure financially and in an abusive relationship.

He said this didn’t excuse her offending or explain it, noting that “too many people” find themselves in abusive relationships and don’t offend. 

He said the amount of drugs and that Zochowska was due to receive payment for her role were aggravating factors. 

Judge Hayes said Zochowska’s early guilty pleas and level of co-operation allowed him to depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years. 

Having considered the mitigation, Judge Hayes imposed a sentence of three years and three months with the final 21 months suspended. 

He backdated the sentence to March 26 last, when Zochowska went into custody. 

Related News