Man jailed over plans to ‘flood’ streets with heroin

A Lithuanian who was described as being part of a gang involved in flooding Cork with heroin was yesterday jailed for nine months.

Arturas Rimkevicius, who was living at an apartment at Coach House, Coach St, Cork, pleaded guilty to charges including possession of heroin for the purpose of sale or supply to others.

Garda Kieran Crowley and Garda Marja Furphy and gardaí from the divisional drugs unit went with a warrant to search the house on Sunday, December 18.

Rimkevicius’s apartment was searched and €2,500 worth of diamorphine was found in 89 individual deals.

When arrested and questioned, he made full admissions.

Inspector Ronan Kennelly said: “He was a distributor for a Lithuanian gang. His sole purpose was to provide an outlet and to flood the streets of Cork with small amounts of heroin.”

Insp Kennelly said the heroin was subdivided into small amounts ready for sale on the streets of Cork.

Joseph Cuddigan, defending, said Rimkevicius had been living in Ireland for the past year and had become addicted to cannabis. He said he had pleaded guilty at the earliest possible time.

Insp Kennelly said the DPP had said the case could be dealt with at Cork District Court only on a plea of guilty. Otherwise trial by judge and jury would have been required.

Judge Marie Keane imposed a nine-month prison sentence on Rimkevicius.

The 26-year-old was convicted in July last year on two counts of having drugs for sale or supply at Castlerea where he was given three months imprisonment on each count.