Caught transporting €300,000 worth of cannabis  

By Sonya McLean

A man who was caught transporting just under €300,000 worth of cannabis has been jailed for two years. 

Thomas Barrett (26) of Brookview Drive, Brookview, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having drugs for sale or supply at Sundale Park, also Tallaght on December 29, 2020.

Garda Elaine Phelan told Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting, that gardaí on mobile patrol around 11am spotted Barrett carrying a large cardboard box.

They lost sight of him for a couple of seconds before they spotted him running off.

He no longer had the box with him.

Gardaí pursued Barrett and found him hiding in a nearby shed.

He was arrested for trespass. A large cardboard box was later discovered in a nearby garden and a second box in a second garden.

Barrett was arrested but nothing came out of the interview.

His fingerprints were later found on a bag in one of the boxes and he was later linked to the second box.

The total drugs found were just under 15kg with a street value of €299,730.

Garret Baker SC, defending, said that his client was a teenager when he was caught with the drugs.

He has since become a father and has not come to garda attention since this offence.

Counsel said his client is “psychologically vulnerable” and struggles to deal with stress – turning to addiction to cope.

Mr Baker said his client agreed to move the drugs in order to reduce a drug debt.

Judge Martin Nolan said Barrett pleaded guilty and co-operated and accepted he didn’t own the drugs but was transporting them for reward.

He said a custodial term is inevitable in the case while accepting that Barrett was young at the time adding “young people can do stupid things”. He jailed him for two years.