Cork man caught with €237K of drugs has sentencing adjourned

Sentencing of a young man caught with €237,000 worth of cannabis at a house in Mahon in Cork over a year ago was put back until February 16, 2026.

Judge Dermot Sheehan adjourned sentencing, but warned that this should not be taken as an indication of a non-custodial sentence.

Detective Garda Ruairí McGovern testified that gardaí attached to the Divisional Drugs Unit at Anglesea St searched a house at Loughmahon Rd on August 16, 2024, and seized around 11kg of cannabis that had an estimated street value close to €240,000.

Aaron O’Brien, aged 25, of Loughmahon Rd, Cork, pleaded guilty to having the drugs for that purpose when the street value exceeded €13,000. This is the threshold for a minimum sentence of 10 years, unless the judge finds there are exceptional circumstances.

Drug-dealing paraphernalia, including a phone and digital weighing scales, were also seized during the investigation.

“Aaron O’Brien admitted that a total of 15kg had been dropped to him,” the detective said. “His role was to distribute them in service of an €11,000 drug debt.

“He had delivered over three kilos prior to being searched. He said his addiction to cannabis overtook his life, and that is why we are here in court today.”

Donal O’Sullivan, defence senior counsel, said that the defendant lost his driving job because of epilepsy and that he took to using cannabis: “He went down a hole and got himself in a lot of debt.

“He is deeply ashamed and remorseful for bringing this trouble to the door. He was holding this cannabis and passing it on to others.”

Judge Sheehan said he was prepared to adjourn the case but warned of the risk of a custodial sentence.