Butcher jailed in heroin smuggling case

A butcher who imported heroin worth €1.5 million as part of a massive cross-channel drugs operation has been jailed for eight years by Judge Michael White at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Christy Lacken was observed by gardai taking a number of packages from behind the door panels of his car after returning on his own on the Holyhead ferry two days after going to Britain with two other men.

He then drove to the Silver Granite Pub car park on Kennelsfort Road in Palmerstown and met two other men to whom he handed a hold-all bag.

The garda team, composed of members of the Sundrive Road, Store Street and Garda National Drug Units, who had the gang under surveillance for some period of time, then swooped on the operation and the men were arrested.

The total drugs network both in Ireland and in England has been wiped out as a result of the major operation which also involved English police.

Lacken (aged 40), form Lohunda Downs, Clonsilla, pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of the drugs on November 11, 2001.

He had also been convicted by a jury of the unlawful possession of two sawn-off shotguns which were recovered following a search at his partner's home in Malahide. The jury convicted him on two counts on Thursday following a two-day trial.

Brian Grendon and Brian McDermot, the men who got the hold-all bag from Lacken, were both jailed for six years for their roles last November.

Detective Sergeant Colm Fox said that the ringleader of the operation, a Crumlin man, had travelled to England with Lacken and another man on November 9, 2001.

Two days later, around the same time Lacken was getting off the ferry with the drugs, these two men were observed arriving at Dublin Airport.

Det Sgt Fox accepted that Lacken was used because he would not have been that well-known to gardai and would have been able to slip through the net with the drugs much easier. He only became involved with the drugs at the end of the operation.

Following his arrest he made certain admissions but expressed concerns about revealing too much because of genuine fears for his safety.

A warrant was obtained and his girlfriend's home in Malahide was searched. The two shotguns were found in a shed out the back.

Det Sgt Fox accepted that the weapons were given to Lacken to mind by the ringleader of the operation, a man well-known to gardai.

Ms Mary Ellen Ring SC, for Lacken, said her client had worked as a butcher for about 25 years. He developed a drink and gambling problem and was easily targeted by the man behind the importation.

Judge White said that it was a very serious offence with a substantial amount of drugs involved and a substantial custodial sentence had to be imposed.