By Eimear Dodd
A man found in possession of over €250,000 worth of cannabis at Dublin Airport was a low-level cog in the drugs trade, a court has heard.
Darrel Brown (43) of Throttle Square, Middleton, Leeds, England was sent forward from the District Court on signed guilty pleas to possession and importation of cannabis for sale and supply.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday that Brown was stopped by customs at Dublin Airport after arriving on a flight from Spain on April 24, last.
A sniffer dog identified a suspicious substance and his suitcase was found to contain vacuum-packed bags of cannabis.
The drugs weighed just under 14kg and have a value of €253,730.
Brown was co-operative when interviewed by gardai.
He has one previous conviction for a road traffic offence and has been in custody since his arrest.
There is no evidence that Brown was living a lavish lifestyle.
The investigating garda agreed with Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing SC, defending, that his client explained during interview that he decided to move to Spain after leaving his job and the breakdown of a relationship.
He initially suggested that he had grown the cannabis, but later admitted that he was asked to pick up a case and bring it to Dublin.
Brown said he found it difficult to get work in Spain and was squatting.
He said he was offered an opportunity to be paid €2,000.
He outlined that he was also suffering from mental health issues.
Brown told gardai that he booked the flights and a taxi, picked up the suitcase but didn’t give any details about the other individuals involved.
The garda agreed with Mr Ó Dúnlaing that while Brown was an “intrinsic and important cog”, he was dispensable due to his vulnerabilities.
It was further accepted that people who perform a similar role to Brown are considered dispensable by people further up the drugs trade and face serving significant prison sentences when caught.
The witness also agreed that gardai accepted what Brown told them during interview.
Mr Ó Dúnlaing said his client has been in custody since his arrest and is aware he is facing a significant custodial sentence.
He asked the court to take into account his client’s early guilty pleas, admissions and co-operation.
Mr Ó Dúnlaing accepted Brown was caught “red-handed” but added that his client sought no disclosure or materials because he admitted his guilt.
He asked the court to accept that his client had lived an “effectively blameless life” .
Brown has no significant history of drug use.
He suffered a heart attack at 38 and subsequently, bouts of depression.
Brown left his job in 2022, his relationship broke down and he was experiencing mental health difficulties when he decided to move to Spain.
Brown was unable to find work and his mental health deteriorated.
A number of testimonials from family and former colleagues were handed to the court.
He said his client was a low-level cog, but still essential as “without people like him the drugs trade could not function”.
Mr Ó Dúnlaing noted his client was due to be paid for his role, adding that Brown had put himself in this position and had “no one else to blame”.
He asked the court to adjourn the case to allow the defence to put additional materials before the court.
Judge Elva Duffy agreed to adjourn the case to March 24, 2025 for finalisation.