Cork man who threw €130k stash of cocaine out car window is jailed 

A Cork man driving back from Dublin with a €130,000 stash of cocaine threw it out the car window onto the central median of the motorway as two unmarked garda cars pursued him, Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard.

Andrew Maher, aged 40, of St. Declan’s Rd, Gurranabraher, was sentenced to three and a half years with the last year suspended.

Defence senior counsel Elizabeth O’Connell said his actions were being controlled and directed as he was in the grips of addiction and a substantial drug debt.

Judge Colin Daly said he could depart from the mandatory minimum 10-year sentence, but that a custodial term had to be imposed.

Detective Garda Robert Kennedy outlined the background to the detection of the crime.

“On July 12 2021 an operation was put in place by the Cork city divisional drug unit. The information was that he was transporting large quantities of drugs from Dublin to Cork.

“On this day he was seen driving a black Hyundai IX35. Two unmarked official patrol cars operated blue lights and sirens signalling for him to stop. He failed to stop. He swerved his vehicle in a very dangerous manner, discarded a large plastic bag and contents in the central median of the motorway. This was retrieved and found to contain 1.85kg of cocaine with a street value of €130,000.

“Andrew Maher was stopped a couple of kilometres further down the road. He admitted he had travelled from Dublin where he was told to bring them to a location in Cork. He was told to do these runs to clear up a debt of €10,000,” Det. Garda Kennedy said.

The case against Mr Maher was that he was operating as a courier for large amounts of cocaine for this organised crime gang.

Defence senior counsel Elizabeth O’Connell said “The facts of the case are grave in that the amount is not insignificant. The role of Mr Maher was not simply holding the drugs.

“At the time he was fully in the grip of his addiction. He had descended to the point where he was selling and making no money from it. He had a debt which was being used to control and direct his actions leading him to something that was entirely unpredictable for people who had given him a good upbringing.

“At that time he was living in his car and barely hanging on to his employment. The cause of this was drug addiction. The feature that is outstanding is not just that he engaged with rehabilitation but did it so early.

“He has returned to live with his supportive parents and he is in a long-term relationship. He has grappled with his addiction since July 2021. He recognises he cannot take his sobriety for granted.”