‘Trusted member of gang’ avoids jail for €17k of cocaine

A man described by gardaí as a trusted member of a leading drugs gang in Cork City who was caught with a €17,000 bar of cocaine got a fully suspended sentence.

Judge Donagh McDonagh imposed a suspended seven- year term on John Forde, aged 24, at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.

The judge questioned Detective Garda Paul Leahy of the drugs squad in relation to Forde’s present and anticipated future standing in the drugs scene. “Is he a player or likely to be a player in the future?”