Courts

Man caught with €1.7m of cocaine in untaxed van accepted he was ‘not a master drug dealer’

Electrician Karl Lawlor (40) from Glasthule, Dublin was stopped by gardaí after going out to buy nappies

Counsel for Karl Lawlor told the court that his client's use of drugs escalated to the point where he was spending €500 to €1,000 a week. Photograph: iStock/Getty

Jessica Magee
Thu Jan 11 2024 - 17:54

An electrician who went out to buy nappies in an untaxed van containing €1.7 million worth of cocaine has been sentenced to 5½ years in prison.

Gardaí stopped the vehicle being driven by Karl Lawlor (40) and noticed a strong smell of cannabis and that his septum was visible, indicating a severe cocaine addiction. They searched the van and found packages in clear sight in the back containing just under 25kg of cocaine valued at €1.74 million.

Dublin Circuit Court heard on Thursday that gardaí said to Lawlor on arrest: “You’re not a master drug dealer, are you?”

He replied: “Not driving around in a van with no tax, I’m not.”

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Lawlor pleaded guilty to possessing the drugs on St Cuthbert’s Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 on April 15th, 2022.

The father-of-three, with an address at Dixon Villas, Adelaide Road, Glasthule, Dublin, further admitted possessing €220 worth of cannabis on the same occasion, which he said was for his own use.

Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Lawlor to 5½ years in prison, noting that he was a mature man and had involved himself in this offence by reason of his long-standing addiction.

The judge took into account mitigating factors including Lawlor’s lack of previous convictions, his work record, his guilty plea, his co-operation and remorse, and the fact that he was unlikely to reoffend.

“If you’re going to carry a lot of drugs, you should have tax on the car at least,” remarked Judge Nolan.

Det Garda Mark Walsh told John P Gallagher BL, prosecuting, that he was on mobile patrol on the day in question when he noticed a Renault van leaving a housing estate in Clondalkin.

A registration check showed it was not taxed, so gardaí stopped the vehicle and noticed that the driver seemed nervous and smelled of cannabis. A search uncovered a small quantity of cannabis resin in the glove compartment and Lawlor also handed over a bit of cannabis from the driver’s side door.

Gardaí opened the rear of the van which contained the usual electrician’s tools of the trade and noticed black bales which, when opened, revealed bars of suspected cocaine wrapped in plastic. Lawlor told gardaí he had a drug debt of €7,000 and had been put under pressure to hold drugs.

“I’m a junkie b****rd and I can’t get seven grand so I got it off someone else. They said they would go to my mam’s house,” he said.

On arrest, Lawlor told gardaí he had an arrangement by phone whereby he would go to a designated pickup spot just off the M50 past Finglas to collect drugs. He had been carrying €1.7 million worth of cocaine in his van since the previous week as he did not believe he could store it safely in the family home.

On the day in question, he had left the house to go and buy nappies, the court heard.

Garda Walsh agreed with Seamus Clarke SC, defending, that the condition of Lawlor’s septum made it evident that he was severely addicted to cocaine.

Lawlor initially used the drug recreationally, but his use escalated after the death of his father some seven years previously to the point where he was spending €500 to €1,000 a week on drugs.

Mr Clarke presented testimonials from drug treatment services to show that Lawlor has since managed to come clean of drugs. He said Lawlor had agreed to courier drugs because he was under duress and had experienced a “degree of threat”.

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