€160k drugs discovered after driver stopped for wearing no seatbelt 

By Claire Henry 

A man stopped by the gardai because he was not wearing a seatbelt has been sentenced to three years in prison after they discovered €160,000 worth of drugs in his car and home. 

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Conor Deering (24) of Foxborough, Lucan, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on September 25, 2021, at various locations in Lucan. He has no previous convictions. 

Passing sentence last Friday, Judge Martin Nolan said on the date in question, the gardai stopped this car and found certain drugs; they then searched his accommodation and found a “serious quantity of drugs”. 

Judge Nolan said this court has heard that this defendant was holding the drugs due to a drug debt. 

The judge said he could depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years due to the early guilty plea. He sentenced Deering to three years in prison from today’s date. 

A local garda told Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting, that Deering was seen driving with no seat belt and was initially stopped for that reason by the gardai.

When they approached the car, they could smell cannabis and told Deering they were going to search his car.

A backpack in the back seat of the car contained 100 grams of cannabis and €3,900 in cash. 

The court heard that Deering was arrested and Gardai obtained a search warrant for his home.

His house was searched, and drugs with a value of over €159,000 were found.

The combined value of drugs from both the car and the house was €161,690.

An additional €4,000 in cash was found on a bread bin in the kitchen. 

The garda agreed with James Dwyer SC, defending, that this was not an intelligence-led operation, and his client was stopped due to him not wearing a seatbelt.

He agreed he was generally cooperative. 

The garda agreed with counsel that Deering was not on the garda radar and there were no signs of wealth in Deering’s home. 

Mr Dwyer said his client had mental health difficulties and had general anxiety disorder.

Letters were handed into the court from his mother and sister who described him as a “devoted family man” and that this “offending does not reflect his true character”. 

Counsel said his client was holding the drugs, cash and paraphernalia.

He said he had a large drug debt and was holding the drugs in order to pay off his debt.