Drug dealer jailed for 12 years after being caught at Clare ‘cocaine factory’

A drug dealer has been jailed for 12 years after being caught “red handed” mixing cocaine during a late night raid on a “cocaine factory” in Co Clare last year.

At Ennis Circuit Court on Wednesday, Judge Brian O’Callaghan gave Tony McInerney a 14-year sentence with the final two years suspended.

Imposing sentence, the judge said he was in no doubt McInerney “has inflicted untold harm, destruction, pain and suffering on not just the people of Clare but people in this society in general through his criminal dirty drug dealing activities”.

McInerney (25) of Glenina, Gort Road, Ennis, Co Clare, wrote a letter to the judge asking to be let home from prison to see his family as soon as possible.

However, the judge said there was not one word in Mr McInerney’s letter “about the hundreds of people whose lives he has destroyed throughout his criminal activity”.

The judge said there were “people in hospital and in the graveyards of this country because of his actions and of his colleagues – his buddies – so-called ‘drug lords’. The use of the word ‘lord’ is an insult. They are drug thieves and criminals.”

He described McInerney as “a major player” in the “dirty drugs business in Clare” stating that he got involved in drug dealing for “greed and for profit”.

The judge said McInerney had been caught “red handed” at the “cocaine factory” and “high end sophisticated cocaine distribution centre” that was in operation at a house in Spancilhill.

In evidence, Det Garda Paul Heaslip said that during a Garda raid on the house outside Ennis at 11.30pm on September 23rd, McInerney was found in the garage surrounded by drug paraphernalia including a cocaine press, weighing scales, a blender and a mixing agent.

Det Garda Heaslip said McInerney was wearing orange latex gloves and raised his two hands up in the air holding a bag of cocaine in one hand when gardaí entered.

Det Garda Heaslip stated that €50,800 of cocaine was recovered from the scene.

The detective said that McInerney was “at the top of the pyramid” in the illicit drugs scene in Clare and had been a target of the divisional drugs unit.

The detective said that McInerney had paid the occupier of the home €2,500 “rent” for the use of the garage while he mixed the cocaine.

Det Garda Heaslip said McInerney did not work and was not in receipt of social welfare but owns Mercedes and Audi cars.

Det Heaslip said McInerney was born and raised in Dublin but came to Clare aged 11 in 2006. Det Heaslip said that McInerney’s older brother drowned in 2009.

In a letter to the judge, McInerney said: “My partner is lost without me at home along with my mam and dad.

“My mother had a hip replacement and spinal surgery. She is 61 and I always cared for her. My Dad is 71 and I always cared for him too.”

The judge said he sympathised over the impact McInerney’s offences had on his family relations but “any attempt at remorse is not genuine”.

McInerney pleaded guilty to two charges before the court.

The judge imposed an 11-year prison term for possession of cocaine valued at over €13,000 with intent to sale or supply at Kilfilum, Spancilhill outside Ennis on September 23rd.

He imposed a three-year jail term to run consecutive to that for the possession of €4,250 which the State say is the proceeds of criminal conduct.

He suspended the final two years of the 14-year sentence.