€26k worth of cocaine found in make-up bag in Cork city house

A make-up bag on a kitchen counter was found to contain more than €26,000 worth of cocaine when gardaí carried out a search under warrant at a house in Farranree.

Detective Sergeant Kieran O’Sullivan gave this evidence at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in the sentencing hearing for 33-year-old Rachel Forde of Cushing Road, Farranree, Cork.

She pleaded guilty to charges of possession of cocaine and having the drug for the purpose of sale or supply to others at her home on November 19 2022.

A €90 Revolut payment found on her phone was from one of the people to whom she dealt cocaine and this resulted in a money-laundering charge in respect of this sum of money.

Paula McCarthy defence barrister submitted that it was an exceptional case that would merit a wholly suspended sentence in light of the absence of previous drug convictions and the extensive steps she had taken since 2022 to rehabilitate and put her life on a much better footing.

The U-turn in her life included finding employment which includes working with people who are in recovery from addiction, Ms McCarthy said.

“She is in a stable relationship now. She started taking drugs at 12 years of age,” Ms McCarthy said.

Detective Sergeant Kieran O’Sullivan said the accused was not a person of interest to gardaí over the years or since this was detected. However, in the weeks before the search was carried out her drug activities had come to their attention.

“She was arrested after the search on November 19 2022. She admitted having drugs and having them for sale or supply in the area. The street value of the drugs recovered was €26,460.

“She admitted that the drugs were for sale or supply in the area and that she was storing the drugs (for an unnamed person) and in return she would get cocaine for herself,” the detective said.

Judge Helen Boyle took into consideration the personal circumstances of the accused, the absence of previous convictions and the fact that she was now in gainful employment and child-rearing. A sentence was measured at three and a half years in light of the value of the cocaine seized but it was fully suspended.