Man jailed after van stop leads to €280,000 cocaine seizure

By Eimear Dodd

A man who had an “active role”  in moving and storing almost €280,000 of drugs has been jailed for three and a half years. 

Ben Murray (23) of Rockfield Avenue, Perrystown, Dublin 12 pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday that gardai were on patrol in Dublin 8 on March 26, 2025 when a white Fiat van spinning its wheels at a junction came to their attention.

The van drove into the Iveagh Trust Flat complex, where gardai stopped it and spoke to Murray, the driver, who appeared nervous and evasive.

A shopping bag containing white powder was spotted under the front passenger seat and the van was searched.

Gardai also found another smaller bag of cocaine and a weighing scales. In total, 1.16kg of cocaine worth €81,660 was found in the van.

Murray told gardai there were other drugs in his home and where they could be found.

Just over 2.8kg of cocaine were found in his bedroom and in a vehicle parked outside the property when his home was searched.

Over 2,500 alprazolam tablets, worth approximately €5,000, were also found, along with several phones.

Caroline Latham BL, prosecuting, told the court that the overall value of the cocaine found at Murray’s home, in the van and other vehicle was €279,130.

Murray was co-operative when interviewed and took responsibility for all of the drugs.

He told them he was to be paid €200 to collect and drop off the cocaine and weighing scales to another location.

He has five previous convictions, all for road traffic offences, which post-date this incident.

The investigating garda agreed with Mark Thompson SC, defending, that his client came to garda attention due to the manner of his driving.

It was further accepted that Murray made full admissions, has a history of addiction and his family are pro-social.

The garda also agreed that Murray has no trappings of wealth, and was not at the top or bottom of the scale as he was bagging drugs for others and also holding them at two separate locations.

It was also accepted that Murray gave no details about those who owned the drugs due to fear, that he built up a drugs debt and was placed under pressure.

The garda agreed with Mr Thompson that his client was not on the garda radar and that it is unlikely he will come before the courts again.

Mr Thompson asked the court to take into account his client’s early guilty plea, his admissions and co-operation with the investigation.

A letter of apology and letters from Murray’s friends and family were handed to the court. Mr Thompson said his client’s family are supportive, but don’t condone his offending.

Murray had addiction issues and has engaged with services, the court was told.

Imposing sentence, Judge Orla Crowe said this was an “inherently serious matter” and noted that Murray had a “considerable volume” of cocaine in his possession, which was aggravating.

She noted that his driving brought him to the attention of gardai, and that while he made full admissions, he was also “caught red-handed”.

She said that Murray had an “active role” in moving, storing and bagging drugs, which she described as a “scourge” on all aspects of society.

The judge said the court could depart from the presumptive mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in the circumstances of this case.

Having considered the mitigation and Murray’s personal circumstances, Judge Crowe imposed a sentence of four years, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions.

The judge said the court was suspending the final six months of the sentence to incentivise Murray’s rehabilitation and directed him to undergo 12 months of Probation Service supervision post-release.