Jailed over €700,000 drugs seizure

By Fiona Ferguson

A man has been jailed for five and a half years following the seizure of €700,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine.

Alan Tighe (38) was arrested following the controlled delivery of €360,000 of cannabis concealed in air compressors and a further €352,000 of cocaine later found in a van.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Tighe became involved in the offending due to debt linked to his cocaine use and was working under duress arising from the debts.

Tighe, of Birchwood Drive, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Centre Point Business Park, on October 17, 2023 and at an underground car park in Tallaght on October 18, 2023.

He has prior convictions for road traffic offences.

Passing sentence last Friday (23rd), Judge Martin Nolan said Tighe was there to receive, hold and probably transport the drugs.

He said Tighe was vulnerable by reason of his addiction.

Judge Nolan said in mitigation Tighe was a good family man and had entered an early guilty plea.

The judge said he could depart from the mandatory 10 years’ imprisonment applicable to these offences.

He imposed five and a half years concurrent sentences.

Garda Kevin Cooney told Carol Doherty BL, prosecuting, that gardai were alerted by customs to a consignment of cannabis in a delivery of air compressors.

Gardai rang the phone number on the delivery and made contact with Tighe, who said he would accept the delivery.

Gardai travelled to the business park where the delivery was to be made and arrested Tighe at the scene.

The cannabis was found to have a street value of €362,000.

The court heard the garda investigation connected Tighe to a van in an underground car park in Tallaght and a search the following day found it to contain €352,000 of cocaine.

Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, defending, said his client had a cocaine addiction at the time, had run up significant debts and was getting “money off the bill” for this operation.

He said Tighe was working under duress arising from the debts and had no signs of wealth.

He said Tighe’s role was not sophisticated and he made admissions in relation to his own role only.

Counsel handed in letters from Tighe’s family and friends outlining their positive experiences of him, his strong work ethic and the changes in him since this offence.

He said there has been a complete change turn around in his circumstances.

Mr Ó Lideadha asked the court to take into account his client’s early guilty pleas, his co-operation, good work history and personal circumstances.