Car left smoking after flight from gardaí

Smoke rose from a car after a 10-mile drive to get away from gardaí and when it came to halt at a roadblock over €56,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine were found in the car.

The driver, Martin Scannell, of 31 Liam Healy Rd, Farranree, Cork, was jailed for six years with half of it suspended yesterday at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Det Sgt Lar O’Brien said Scannell claimed he had travelled from Cork to Portlaoise — under orders from other parties — to pick up the bag of drugs and bring it to Cork for €1,000.