Snakes and lizards found in cannabis grow house in Co Sligo

Gardaí who raided a grow house in a rural part of Co Sligo found 250 cannabis plants, a quantity of harvested cannabis worth over €32,000 and a “menagerie” of exotic pets including a large number of snakes as well as lizards “of all shapes and sizes,” Sligo Circuit Court heard on Thursday.

Three Polish nationals, all aged 35, pleaded guilty to two charges, possession of cannabis valued at €13,000 for supply, and cultivation of cannabis plants, at Seefin Cloonloo on March 9th, 2019.

Dara Foynes, counsel for two of the defendants Magda Kowalska and Marcin Florczak who were living in the house in Cloonloo at the time, said they were “not the Pablo Escobar” of the operation.

She said they were “low-level operatives” who had no control over the operation.

Det Sergeant Cathal Duffy told Judge Francis Comerford that when gardaí with a search warrant arrived at a house on the outskirts of Boyle, they found two containers of harvested cannabis, worth over €32,000 and 250 cannabis plants at various stages of growth.

The court heard that the third accused, Marek Tomiczeck with an address in Athlone, had accepted responsibility for the cannabis plants.

He had bought the equipment in Dublin, Galway and online.

Ms Foynes said Ms Kowalska had got involved because of a bank debt she incurred in Poland after a third party let her down.

Counsel told the court that Ms Kawalska who had not a word of English was there to tend the plants.

Her father was a farmer in Poland and she was a “Daddy’s girl” who had been unable to tell her family about the prosecution because of the shame involved.

The court heard that while it was “not Dublin zoo”, gardaí found a large number of snakes, lizards “of various shapes and sizes” as well as tropical spiders, including a tarantula at the scene.

Sgt Duffy said they were all contained in elaborate containers with a special lighting and heating system.

He said Mr Florczak was very distressed about the pets and anxious about who would look after them when he was arrested.

Judge Comerford was told that Mr Tomiczeck has been sentenced to three years and three months in custody for offences in Poland and will be deported on foot of a European arrest warrant on completion of any sentence imposed in this case.

Mr Tomiczeck had given gardaí a false name and has been in custody since his arrest, the court was told.

Sgt Duffy told Eileen O’Leary counsel for Mr Tomiczeck that he had no trappings of wealth and was driving “an extremely modest vehicle”.

Counsel said her client was a landscape gardener who developed a cocaine habit and as a result ran up a debt.

He was drugs free for two years but still had debts, she said.

The judge adjourned the case until February 21st when he will impose sentence.