Kerry crystal meth haul co-accused had 'no connection' to machine where drugs were found, court told

From his 'sparse' viewing of the disclosure so far, defence barrister Colm Symth SC said he was 'confident' that his client had no link to drugs found in the third machine

James Leen faces two charges of drug importation at Cork Port, Ringaskiddy, on October 16, 2023, of methylamphetamine, known as crystal meth, and possession of the drug worth €13,000 or more at Ballyseedy Garden Centre between October 27, 2023, and mid-February 2024. File photo: Facebook

Phone records will show that a Kerry man charged with the State’s largest ever crystal meth seizure had no connection to the €32.4m haul, his defence barrister has claimed.

James Leen, aged 42, was co-accused with importing crystal meth from the Mexican Sinaloa cartel and smuggling it through Ballyseedy Garden Centre outside Tralee in a large, purpose-built industrial machine before attempting to export it to Australia.