A drug-dealer fled the country after gardai discovered heroin valued at £310,000 in a car driven by a Co Kildare man who has been jailed for four years. Paul King (25), a carpenter, of Mountain View, Athgarvan, Newbridge, pleaded guilty to possession of the heroin at Drumfinn Road on April 16th, 1996.
Judge Cyril Kelly said it was a very sizeable amount of drugs. Once again, the "fall guy" was caught and the real miscreant, who would be a more valuable capture, had absconded.
Det Garda Pauline Reid said the car driven by King, in which the heroin was found, was registered in the name of Mr John Nugent, also of Drumfinn Road.
Judge Kelly agreed to an application by prosecuting counsel, Mr Shane Murphy, that the car be forfeited to the State and the drugs destroyed.
Det Garda Reid said that while on mobile patrol she stopped a car driven by King in which there was a person she recognised. The front-seat passenger, who was the real wholesaler, fled the scene and evaded arrest, she said.
At an earlier hearing, Det Garda Reid said warrants had been issued for the arrest of this man, now living in Manchester.
Det Garda Reid said the gardai found almost 247 grammes of heroin on the back seat under a yellow workman's hat. The heroin was found to be 44-46 per cent pure with a street value of about £310,000. She said a junkie's street deal would be about 7 per cent pure heroin.
She agreed with Mr Michael O'Higgins, defence counsel, that it was unlikely King would ever again reoffend. He had no previous convictions.
Judge Kelly said he would review the four-year sentence on January 15th, 1999.