Man ran drug operation to pay off gambling debt

A professional Limerick courier rented an apartment in an affluent part of the city to run a huge drugs operation for a gang in order to pay off gambling debts, a court heard.

John Ryan, a 46-year-old father of two, of Airfield Terrace, St Patrick’s Rd, Limerick, pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court to having drugs worth almost €920,000 for sale or supply.

The drugs, which included heroin, cocaine, and cannabis, were discovered by gardaí when they raided Ryan’s rented apartment at Belfield House on Ennis Rd.