A man caught with drugs valued at more than £1.3 million has been jailed for 2 1/2 years by Judge Kevin Haugh.
Denis Mulligan (55), Northways Estate, Finglas, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of possessing cannabis resin for sale and supply on September 3rd, 1997.
Det Sgt Christopher Mangan said gardai spotted Mulligan driving a Rover car near a pub in Glasnevin. The boot of the car was searched and £1 million worth of cannabis resin was found in four cardboard boxes. The drugs weighed 100kg and held a street value of £10,000 per kilo. Mulligan had no explanation for the contents of the boxes.
Det Sgt Mangan said that shortly afterwards an additional 34.5kg of cannabis resin, valued at £345,000, were seized in the attic of Mulligan's home. He shared this address with his girlfriend, who had no knowledge of the crimes.
Mulligan admitted in a statement to gardai to being involved in a complex movement of "goods" over a period of months. He was asked to do a number of favours which included moving the drugs. Det Sgt Mangan said Mulligan was provided with the Rover and equipped with a paging unit which enabled him to receive messages as to the destination of the goods.
Det Sgt Mangan said Mulligan has 17 previous convictions including a 10-year jail sentence for armed robbery in England. His convictions also included minor offences committed in the 1960s and 1970s.
Defending, Mr Mark de Blacam SC said when Mulligan was arrested he accepted full responsibility for his crimes and made lengthy statements to gardai. He said his client was not a major player, receiving £600 for moving the drugs from one place to another. He did not have the trappings of wealth at the time of the offence and did not contest his extradition from England.
Judge Haugh said it was hard to see where Mulligan fitted into the criminal activity but noted he had been trusted with ferrying in excess of £1.3 million worth of the drugs. He considered his plea of guilty and that he had accepted full responsibility for his role.