‘Dopey’ drug mules jailed for two years

Two ‘dopey’ middle-aged drug mules who spent six days in hospital expelling more than 90 swallowed pellets of cocaine smuggled in from Spain have been each jailed for two years.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Gerald Keys said that Thomas Tully, aged 44, of Star Court, John Carew Park, Limerick, and John Byrne, aged 43, of Clare St, Limerick were “extremely foolish” to smuggle the drugs into Shannon on April 21, 2014.

Before imposing the four-year jail terms suspending the final two years in each case, Judge Keys said: “Both of you for little or no reward risked your lives — you are extremely foolish and reckless. Your financial standing made both of you vulnerable to be approached by drug lords to carry out this operation.”