Dealer caught with €95k of heroin gets six years

A heroin dealer who was a trusted player in the drug underworld was jailed for six years yesterday after being caught with €95,000 worth of heroin at his home in Cork.

The man had clocked up a €6,000 drugs debt and claimed to have stashed the heroin and cannabis which brought the total close to over €100,000 worth of drugs in an effort to clear what he owed.

Judge Donagh McDonagh imposed an eight-year sentence and suspended the last two years at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

“I think if you are such a trusted member of the drug underworld that someone gives you their €95,000 worth of heroin, you are a key part of that drug network,” the judge said.

Darren Vaughan, aged 27, of Rossleigh, Melbourne Rd, Bishopstown, Cork, pleaded guilty to the main charges against him, namely having cannabis resin, herb, and heroin for sale or supply at his home on August 16, 2013, at a time when their street value exceeded €13,000.

Garda Margaret Ryan testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday that a warrant was obtained to search the home of the accused on that date.

About €95,000 worth of Diamorphine, better known as heroin, was found stashed a bedroom in various packages; €2,700 worth of cannabis resin was found in plastic bags in the sitting room; and over €500 worth of cannabis herb was found in his own bedroom.

He was the only person in the house who was responsible for the drugs being present and he admitted this to gardaí. Judge McDonagh noted that in his judgment.