A man who was promised €5,000 for collecting cannabis worth €1.2 million and taking it to his rented home was yesterday jailed for 13 years at the Circuit Court.
Passing sentence, Judge Michael O’Shea said Jason Keogh (48) was an intelligent man and a good worker who “took a gamble, took a risk, and the gamble did not come off”.
Keogh, a father of two, originally from Malahide, Co Dublin, was renting Woodview Cottage, Bettystown Cross, Bettystown, Co Meath, at the time of the offence on July 20th, 2011.
He admitted possession of the drug for the purpose of selling or supplying it to others.
Trim Circuit Court heard that a unit at Swords Business Park was kept under surveillance and a van driven by Keogh was seen collecting a number of blue barrels from the premises. Gardaí watched the van as it made its way to Woodview Cottage, where 100kg of cannabis was found.
Det Garda Tim Casey said the drugs had an estimated street value of €1.2 million.
The judge imposed a 13-year jail term and suspended the last three years on Keogh entering into a good behaviour bond on his release.