Two women have been jailed for their roles in the importation of cocaine with a street value of £280,000.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told that one woman had escaped to the US from Liberia with three of her children but a son and daughter were still missing as a result of the war in the country.
The woman, Mai Jackson, ran her own street business in the US but agreed to act as a drugs mule for an international criminal organisation because she owed money as a result of her escape.
Since her arrest in November 1997, she has been in very poor health and has had several operations in the Mater Hospital, Dublin. Her counsel, Mr Paul McDermott, said an early diagnosis of her problem by a prison doctor saved her life but she still had to undergo more surgery.
Jackson (41), of Vain Street, Staten Island, New York, and Afelumo Modure Oland ewayu (34), of March Court, St Phillip's Road, London, pleaded guilty to importing the cocaine on November 15th, 1997.
Det Garda Marie Courtney told Mr Roger Sweetman, prosecuting, that Jackson was seen arriving on a flight from Amsterdam, having travelled from Milwaukee to Antigua and then to Dublin via Amsterdam. She met Olandrewayu at the arrivals lounge at Dublin airport and the two women did not appear to know each other.
They made a phone call and then Olandrewayu bought a London ticket for Jackson. The two were arrested and Jackson's holdall bag was found to contain a cardboard box which was lined on the sides with bags of cocaine.
Det Garda Courtney said neither woman had any previous convictions. Olandrewayu was a Nigerian by origin and lived in London for nine years where she was a student psychiatric nurse. She had British citizenship. Gardai were satisfied that the drugs were not intended for the Irish market and may have been in transit for sale in Britain.
Mr McDermott said Jackson told the probation services that she imported the cocaine because she had run up debts while helping her children to escape unrest in Liberia. She now had US citizenship and had run her own food business in New York.
Mr Erwan Mill Arden SC, for Olandrewayu, said her father had been a chief of a tribe and her family were well respected. She had a good education and at the time of her arrest she was training as a psychiatric nurse in London and working with the disabled for Westminster Council.
Judge Kevin Haugh said the court was moved by the plight of the women. Jackson in particular had a tragic life and was in very poor health. However, the court could not show the same leniency to "mules or pawns" in the international drugs trade as it could to people who committed other crimes. It was clear that drug dealers sought out people who were unfortunate in life on the expectation that such people would be treated leniently by the courts.
He jailed Olandrewayu for four years and Jackson for three and refused leave to appeal.