A man who collected a pallet containing just over a million euro worth of cannabis from Dublin Port has been jailed for five years.
Derek Landers (42), who has been living in Lanzarote, Spain for the past 20 years, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the drugs for sale or supply at Promenade Road, Dublin 1 on May 18th, 2023. Landers has 19 previous convictions from both Spain and Ireland.
Garda Dermot O Sullivan told Liam Dockery BL, prosecuting, that customs at Dublin Port intercepted the pallet containing suspected cannabis herb and an operation was put in place between customs and gardaí to monitor it.
At about midday, Landers was spotted arriving in a rental van before he loaded the pallet into the back of the vehicle. He drove out of the yard and was stopped by gardaí on Promenade Road.
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Garda O’Sullivan said the pallet was removed and examined. It was found to contain towels but hidden underneath that were two layers of vacuum-packed cannabis, with a total weight of 54kg and an estimated street value of €1,046,000.
Garda O’Sullivan agreed with Paul Murray SC, defending, that Landers told gardaí he thought he was collecting horse feed. He acknowledged that it would not have been immediately apparent that were drugs on the pallet.
It was accepted that Landers told gardaí that he was told he would get €250 for his role but later admitted that he had been “asked by a man to do a job for €1,000″.
Garda O’Sullivan accepted a suggestion that Landers is “not at the top rung of the ladder” although he was still in control over quite a large amount of drugs.
Mr Murray said his client “offered an unequivocal apology” to his family, society at large and the court for his role in this offence.
He said his client has five children, three from a previous relationship and two children to whom he acts as a stepfather. He said he worked a variety of jobs in Spain but unfortunately fell on hard times during the Covid-19 pandemic and was unable to find work.
Counsel submitted that Landers was “a naive man who thought this was an easy way to easy money but turned out to the biggest mistake of his life”.
Judge Elva Duffy acknowledged evidence that Landers was “not at the top rung of the ladder” and added that he appeared to be frightened of those others that were involved.
She said he had “succumbed to the temptation of easy money” before she acknowledged his guilty plea. Judge Duffy jailed Landers for five years.
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