Man caught with €600k drugs pleads guilty to having them for sale or supply

Gardaí seized €600,000 worth of cannabis herb and cocaine when they stopped a motorist speeding near Mitchelstown one year ago and now he has pleaded guilty to having the drugs for sale or supply.

50-year-old Jeffrey Smith of Donomore Avenue, Killinarden, Tallaght, Dublin was arrested and charged at Fermoy Garda Station and made no reply when he was charged by Garda Peter O’Loughlin a year ago.

The accused was arraigned today at the county sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court. 

He pleaded guilty to the charge that on February 4 2022, at Kilshanny, Mitchelstown, Co Cork, he had in his possession controlled drugs named cannabis herb and cocaine for sale or supply, contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act at a time when its value exceeded €13,000.

The allegation that was made at the accused man’s first court appearance was that drugs with a value of around €600,000 were in the man's possession.

Garda O’Loughlin said the accused was stopped on the M8 motorway for speeding, driving at 154km in a 120km zone. There was a strong smell of cannabis and this prompted gardaí to carry out a search for drugs.

Black bin liners containing 19kg of cannabis, with a street value of €380,000, were in the back of the car, and there were also 3kg of suspected cocaine in three blocks, worth €210,000, as well as mixing agent, all in black bags, Garda O’Loughlin testified.

Judge Helen Boyle adjourned sentencing of the accused until February 14 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The accused was represented by defence senior counsel Siobhán Lankford.