Man refused to explain €1m heroin haul in his car
A 28-year-old man who refused to give gardaí any details about the heroin valued at more than €1m found in his car has been jailed for 10 years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Shane Maloney, of Drimnagh Road, Drimnagh, pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs for sale or supply at Palmerstown Shopping Centre on August 13, 2008.
Detective Garda Diarmuid McGuire told Mr Sean Gillane BL, prosecuting, that members of the Organised Crime Unit acting on confidential information, observed Maloney park his car outside the shopping centre and take a bag from the back seat of an empty car nearby.
Det Gda McGuire said Maloney returned to his car and was approached by gardaí. Gardai observed two brown packages in the passenger seat of his car and further packages in the bag. He told gardaí: "It‘s only brown."
Det Gda McGuire said Maloney, who has 84 previous convictions, exercised his right to silence throughout his detention. The drugs had an estimated street value of €1,207,040.
Defence counsel, Ms Aileen Donnelly SC, said Maloney came from a decent family and had acknowledged his guilt from an early stage. She said he regrets his involvement in this offence and realises he will be in his 30s before he is released.
Ms Donnelly said he was making the best of his situation and has been studying since he went into custody on his arrest last year.
Judge Frank O’Donnell imposed the presumptive mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
