A drug dealer who is facing deportation from Ireland must first serve an 18-month sentence imposed by Judge Frank O'Donnell at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge said it would be wrong to deport him without serving a jail term.
Arken Husainov (38), from Uzbekistan and who was seeking asylum, also had four previous convictions for immigration offences, cloning credit cards and assault, since he arrived in 2001.
He was refused asylum but had been granted leave to remain for an appeal.
Husainov, with an address at Hollypark, Shankill, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to having cocaine and ecstasy for sale or supply on May 24th, 2006, near Liffey Valley shopping centre, Clondalkin, Dublin.
Counts of possession of amphetamine and cannabis on the same occasion were taken into consideration.
Judge O'Donnell said he felt ordering a person's immediate deportation sent the wrong message, especially to drug dealers.
Garda Michelle Nolan told Seán Gillane BL, prosecuting, that cocaine valued at €719, cannabis valued at €88, ecstasy valued at €2,260 and amphetamine valued at €234 were recovered from a car belonging to Husainov.