Man caught with €8k worth of cocaine in supermarket bag at Cork train station

Gardaí also found €1,300 in cash when they searched the bag, court told

Accused told gardaí he was 'under pressure to carry drugs', court told. Picture: iStock

A two year-jail term was imposed on a man who fled from gardaí at Mallow train station when they saw he was carrying a bag of cocaine valued at €8,000.

When gardaí were interviewing him later his phone was ringing constantly with customers looking for drugs.

Judge James McCourt imposed the sentence of two years and nine months with the last nine months suspended in the case against Chindo Emeaugbor.

Detective Garda Aidan Long testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that he and Garda Will Hosford went to Mallow train station on July 12, 2021.

The accused man, Chindo Emeaugbor, of Summerhill, Mallow, Co Cork, was sitting in the waiting room of the station with a plastic Tesco bag in front of him. Gardaí saw he was on his phone and appeared to be nervous.

Det Garda Long said he informed the accused he was going to conduct a search under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

“There was €1,300 in clear plastic inside the Tesco bag. He said he got it from compo.

“There was also a bag of white powder in the Tesco bag. He took that bag of powder and ran through the exit door in the waiting room. I called for him to stop which he failed to do. 

"We managed to restrain him and put him in handcuffs. At that point, he released his grip on the bag of white powder. That was subsequently examined and found to contain over €8,000 worth of cocaine,” Det Garda Long said.

Gardaí interviewed him at Mallow Garda Station. He replied during the first interview: "No comment" to most of the questions. He did say: “I was under pressure to carry drugs… I will not answer questions. Me and my family would be in serious danger.” 

Det Garda Long said when the accused was being interviewed his phone was ringing non-stop.

One of the typical texts that came through on the phone read: “Have you anything before I buy it from somebody else, bro?” 

Defence barrister Donal O’Sullivan said the defendant committed this crime four and a half weeks after being released from prison, where he served a sentence for assault causing harm.

“There does appear to be a serious mental health background. He is in jail because of his own actions. It would appear to me from probation reports that his somewhat bizarre and confrontational approach to probation officers now appear to be linked to the mental health issues.” 

 Judge James McCourt said: “I have to consider the harm done to society and your level of moral culpability. You committed these crimes four and a half weeks after you took up the suspended portion of your sentence.

“It is abundantly clear from messages on your phone that you were actively dealing.

“You have to be given some light at end of tunnel but you have to make sure you don’t do what you did the last time you were released.” 

A sentence of two years and nine months was then imposed, with the last nine months suspended.