Cork court jails heroin dealer for six years
A heroin dealer in Cork city was jailed for six years today, as the drugs squad said the problem had surfaced in the area over a year ago.
Detective Sergeant Jason Lynch said Abdullah Abdi, aged 30, was caught dealing on three separate occasions last year, and the quantities were getting bigger each time.
“He was involved in all aspects of heroin dealing, travelling to Dublin to buy quantities of it, cutting it up, bagging it and selling it. He was one of the main suppliers of this drug in the north inner city at the time of this offence,” Det. Sgt. Lynch said.
He said that the heroin problem in Cork was not as severe as it was in Dublin, but that it became an issue in Cork over a year ago.
Abdi was caught on July 5, 2006 with €500 worth of heroin. On October 24, 2006, he was caught at his flat at Patrick’s Hill with €700 worth of the drug. Finally, on November 23 last, he was caught with €4.500 worth of heroin at MacCurtain Street.
Judge Patrick J. Moran said: "You were granted refugee status here and were given employment in the security industry. But you decided to shun this gainful employment for another life and you must pay the consequences.
"Because of the expansionist nature of the business you decided to develop between July 2006 and November 2006, I am imposing a sentence of six years. We all know the havoc drugs play in people’s lives. You were causing considerable amount of grave upset by having it available for sale."
Det. Sgt Lynch said a group of Somalian nationals were placed under observation at this time. They were seen handing out heroin on street corners and in phone booths in the North inner city in Cork.
Abdi said he began smoking and injecting heroin after he got involved with “wrong friends”. He denied that he ever sold the drug openly on the street and had sold it from where he was living at the different times.
“I am sorry for what I did. I know I did wrong. It is just the addiction of the drug,” he said.
Defence senior counsel, Tom Creed said the defendant was involved in holding heroin for others in order to get free heroin for himself and that there was no question of him leading what he called a champagne lifestyle.
“His profit was his habit,” Mr Creed said.
Abdi’s name will go on the Drug Offenders Register for five years after his release from custody.
