A “trusted lieutenant” of a south Dublin criminal gang has been sentenced to 10 years for transporting a machine gun, a rocket launcher and cocaine.
Jason Smyth was caught with almost €70,000 worth of cocaine in his car following a large Garda surveillance operation by the organised crime unit.
He later admitted to transporting a hold-all bag containing an AK74 assault rifle, an M8 grenade launcher and a Russian-made RPG 22 rocket launcher from Saggart to a lock-up unit in Longstown, Straffan, Co Kildare. Both rocket launchers were fitted with warheads.
Smyth (29), from Kildare Road, Crumlin, with an address at St Mel’s Road, Longford, pleaded guilty to possession of €69,500 worth of cocaine and possession of the firearms on May 12th, 2010, at Straffan. He was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 10 years with three suspended.
The court heard that at a unit at Longstown, Straffan, nine packages of cocaine valued at €630,000 were hidden in the barrels along with a hold-all containing the weapons.