‘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?”

The detective replied: “Yes, I believe he is.”

Det Garda Leahy said: “He was a user of cocaine but not a cocaine addict. He was a trusted member of a large organised drug gang.”

Ray Boland, defending, objected to that evidence being put before the judge.

Pearse Sreenan, prosecuting, suggested there was another way of giving the evidence and asked the detective what, in his opinion, was the role of the defendant in the drugs transaction intercepted by gardaí.

“He was there to transport the drug from his home to another individual he would not identify to us,” he said.

“It is a large consignment of drugs packaged outside the jurisdiction which puts him at a very high level in my opinion.”

Judge Donagh McDonagh said: “I am quite satisfied on Garda evidence that this was something more than simple courier delivery. Those in the trade use mules but this particular mule knew exactly what he had on his person.

“He admitted his part. That is laudable. In another way it is not, as he was caught. Maybe the admission isn’t as significant as it might be at first blush.

“I have little doubt he is at a reasonably high level in the drugs trade. He has options. He can sever connections immediately or go to jail. More would be served by Mr Forde dropping his contacts than sending him to jail.”