Spanish national jailed after being caught with €220,000 of cannabis in Dublin Airport

A man who was found with €220,000 of cannabis in his luggage at Dublin Airport has been jailed for two years and nine months.

Siquen Buongiovanne Rey (36) of no fixed abode in Spain pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply at Dublin Airport on April 5 last. He has no previous convictions in Ireland or Spain.

Garda Peter Daly told Morgan Shelley BL, prosecuting, that a customs official noticed Buongiovanne Rey acting suspiciously in the arrivals area after travelling from Malaga and stopped him to examine his luggage.

The luggage was x-rayed and when searched, 11 packages of cannabis wrapped in black plastic were found. The drugs weighed around 11kg and were valued at €220,000.

The defendant admitted possession of the cannabis to customs officials and gardai, saying that the drugs were for his personal use.

He has limited English and has been in custody since his arrest.

Gda Daly agreed with Michael Hourigan SC, defending, that his client entered an early guilty plea. It was further accepted that while Boungiovanne Rey didn’t say who owned the drugs, he was co-operative and it became clear when gardai interviewed him that he was experiencing financial difficulties.

Gda Daly agreed that Boungiovanne Rey said he struggled to find work after losing his job as a chef during the Covid-19 pandemic and was not entitled to social welfare supports at the time. It was also accepted that Boungiovanne Rey told gardai he had a cannabis dependency.

Mr Hourigan asked the court to take into account his client’s early guilty pleas, admissions and the difficulties faced by foreign nationals in custody.

He said his client had an issue with cannabis and was experiencing financial difficulties at the time. His client has two children and supports them financially.

Bourgiovanne Rey lost his job as a chef during the Covid-19 pandemic and has been unable to find stable work since then. Mr Hourigan said his instructions are that his client was offered €2,000 for his role.

Counsel said his client is doing well in custody and taking several courses including in English. His client wishes to return to Spain and while he is aware he is facing a prison sentence, he has indicated he will apply to serve the remainder of his sentence in a Spanish prison when he is allowed to do so.

Imposing sentence, Judge Dara Hayes said this is serious offending and the quantity of drugs is among the aggravating factors. Judge Hayes also noted the negative impact of the use and trade in illegal drugs on society.

He said the mitigating factors include the early guilty plea, the absence of previous convictions and Bourgiovanne Rey’s personal circumstances.

Judge Hayes said Bourgiovanne Rey’s early guilty plea and admissions allowed him to depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of ten years.

He imposed a sentence of two years and nine months, backdated to April 5 when Bourgiovanne Rey went into custody.