Two Englishmen employed by a west Dublin drugs organisation made eight or nine similar runs before they were arrested while importing £5 million worth of heroin.
It was the largest seizure of heroin ever made in the State.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told the gang leaders were now based in Manchester and paid the couriers £2,500 per trip.
Gary Blake, Copster Place, Oldham, Manchester, pleaded guilty to importing the £5 million of heroin into Dublin port on October 31st, 1998.
Judge Michael White adjourned sentencing to May 5th.
Det Sgt Greg Sheehan told Mr Fergal Foley, prosecuting, that Blake and his co-accused, Robert Russell, hid the heroin in two hired cars and then persuaded two women to act as "camouflage" on their ferry trip to Dublin. Det Sgt Sheehan told Blake's defence counsel, Mr Martin Giblin SC, that he admitted he was working for the Dublin criminals he knew as "the Irish lads".
Russell (33), of Glenhurst Crescent, Oldham, was jailed for six years by Judge Elizabeth Dunne on March 12th last for his role.
The two women, Joanna Schofield (30) of Glenhurst Crescent, and Sheryl Hume (20), of Copster Place, Oldham, have also pleaded guilty and have been remanded on continuing bail for sentence on October 20th next.