Corkman hit with 24-year drug sentence

A driver of a van loaded with almost E5m worth of ecstasy tablets destined for the Cork drugs market was sentenced to 24 years in prison this evening.

Judge Patrick J Moran handed down the sentence to Colum Carroll, aged 31, formerly of Riverstown, Glanmire, saying, “the message must go out that people like you will be dealt with seriously.”

It is one of the biggest sentences ever imposed on an Irish drug dealer.

The judge said he could only imagine with horror the effect that such a massive quantity of ecstasy would have had on families in Cork city and county, both on the young people who used the drugs and on their families.

It was one of the biggest ever seizures of MDMA, better known as ecstasy, in the State, Detective Sergeant Lar O’Brien of the Cork Drugs Squad said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

A 14-year sentence was imposed on that charge relating to January of this year and a consecutive 10-year sentence was imposed on Carroll for having almost E50,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis in Co Cork back in July 2002.

Colum Carroll, formerly of St. Joseph's View, Riverstown, pleaded guilty earlier this week to having €4.8m worth of MDMA, better known as ecstasy, at Mountrath in Co Laois on January 16.

Detective Garda Lar O’Brien said gardaí from the Drugs Squad in Cork received confidential information about the drugs.

Carroll was driving a van at lunchtime on that day and was stopped by the gardaí.

“54 packets were found in the rear of the van and they contained ecstasy tablets. There was a large cardboard box with the packets inside the box. Each packet contained 5,000 individual ecstasy tablets. No attempt was made to conceal the box.

“On a search of the van a tyre was found and inside the tyre there were 41 similar packages.

“The total of 95 packages contained a total of 480,000 ecstasy tablets with a street value of E4.8m.

“From the information available to us the drugs were destined for Cork,” Det. Sergeant O’Brien said.

Carroll also confessed to having cannabis and cocaine for sale or supply to others at Ballinrea Road, Cork, Carrigaline, on July 3 2002 and having cocaine and cannabis for sale or supply at St. Joseph's View, Riverstown, Cork, on the same date.

Det. Garda Morgan O’Sullivan said the total quantity of drugs involved on that occasion was E47,000.