Dublin man (22) jailed over drugs dealing and money laundering

Niamh O’Donoghue

A man has been given a six-year sentence for possession of drugs for sale and supply and money laundering.

Reece Byrne (22) of Poppintree Crescent, Ballymun, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply and money laundering at Cranogue Close, Ballymun on December 12th, 2023.

“I don’t see Mr Byrne on the lowest rung,” said Judge Martina Baxter before handing down a six-year sentence with the final six months suspended and backdated it to November 2025 for time spent in custody.

“Using someone else’s home indicates an element of control,” said the judge.

Garda Pierce O’Dwyer of Ballymun Garda Station gave evidence that when gardaí exercised a search warrant at the address. Mr Byrne was the sole occupant of the house.

He told John Moher BL, prosecuting, a large amount of cocaine was found on the table along with a quantity of diazepam.

More drugs were found in the attic including heroin worth €13,286 and cocaine worth €34,000. The total market value of the drugs was €48,000.

Byrne acknowledged possession of the drugs at the scene but later said they were not his drugs but gardai did not accept this. He claimed he had a drug debt.

Judge Baxter took account of his assistance at the scene, that he entered a plea and had no previous convictions.

She noted Byrne said he owed money due to a drug debt but said gardaí did not accept this. The judge noted he receives weekly visits from family in prison and has one disciplinary report for possession of a mobile phone.

His co-accused Laura Smith (29) of Crannogue Close, Poppintree, Ballymun was given a two-and-a-half-year suspended sentence by Judge Martin Nolan last November after pleading guilty to allowing her house to be used for the preparation of drugs for sale or supply on the same date.

Evidence was heard during her sentence hearing that Smith was aware that drugs were being prepared and stored in the house but she was unaware of the quantity and the type.

The court heard no trappings of wealth were found and the investigating garda agreed with Smith's defence counsel that she was co-operative and used to a degree by her co-accused. Smith has no previous convictions.

Judge Nolan said she was a mother-of-three and was expecting another, that the court considered she was unlikely to reoffend in the future and thought it was unjust to imprison her.