Colombian drug mule jailed for six years
A Colombian hairdresser who swallowed €58,000 worth of cocaine to smuggle it into Ireland has been jailed for six years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Fidel Guiaso (aged 36) said he smuggled the drugs to pay for his grandfather’s medical bills.
Judge Katherine Delahunt told him he was "an essential cog in a very evil trade."
"This is matter of unquestioned seriousness", she said. "You are the type of person who provides the shield between the gardaí and the brains behind activities like these."
Guiaso, of Noordinda Hiw, The Hague, Holland, but originally from Columbia, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Cassidy’s Hotel, Cavendish Row, Dublin on September 1, 2008.
Sergeant Brian Sourke told Mr Stephen McCann BL, prosecuting, he received confidential information that a large amount of drugs were due to be handed over in Cassidy’s hotel.
They observed the hotel and during the morning, saw a car with two men drive in. One of the men went upstairs to a room where Guiaso was staying. Guiaso had a large amount of laxatives and was attempting to pass the cocaine which he had swallowed in pellets in Holland the previous day.
The man left with 81 out of the 87 pellets. Guiaso said he never saw his face and handed over the drugs from behind a door. Shortly afterwards gardaí raided the room and arrested Guiaso.
He was brought to the garda station where he passed the remaining pellets. The man who had collected the rest was also arrested.
Guiaso claimed he was to be paid €2,000 for smuggling the drugs but had not received it yet. He said he knew he was importing drugs but did not know what type or how much. He said he needed the money to pay for his grandfather’s medical treatment in Columbia.
Sgt Sourke agreed with defence counsel, Mr Paul McDermott SC, that Guiaso had a boyfriend at home and life in prison would be very difficult "for someone of his orientation."
He added he had no previous convictions here or in the Netherlands
Mr McDermott said his client had moved from Columbia to be a hairdresser in Holland. He said he worked in a hair salon and provided for his large family back home.
He said he was no more than a "mule" and had no idea what he was getting into. He added he had been very cooperative with gardaí and had entered an early guilty plea.
