Cork man found with stash of cannabis and cocaine in his shed is jailed

Court told there were numerous messages on accused's phone indicating drugs transactions

Accused claimed he was under threat to pay off a drugs debt.

A €47,000 stash of cannabis and cocaine was found in a cold box locked inside a shed at the back of a house in Mallow.

39-year-old Jason Ryan, of Hazel Brooke, Spa Glen, Mallow, Co Cork, who was responsible for the stash which was discovered in a search by gardaí on April 22, 2023, has now been jailed for three years.

Detective Garda William Hosford testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court a drugs search under warrant was carried out at the home of Jason Ryan on that day, Cannabis and cocaine and drug-deal bags were located in the course of the search, which was concentrated on a shed at the rear of the house. 

In a cool box container were two packets of cannabis and a bag containing cocaine and white powder, suspected of being a mixing agent.

The cannabis had a street value of €32,000 and the cocaine €15,000.

Det Garda Hosford said: “He admitted selling cannabis but denied selling cocaine. There were numerous messages on his phone indicating drugs transactions. He said he was under threat to pay off a drugs debt.” 

Donal O’Sullivan, defence senior counsel, said when gardaí arrived at the house, the first thing that came to their attention was the stench of cannabis from the accused man, who had just then been smoking a cannabis joint.

“He was cooperative and never obstructed the search. The drugs were in a box in a shed that was locked. He actually gave the guards the keys for the shed,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

The senior counsel stressed the charges of dealing cannabis and cocaine dated back two and a half years.

Judge Dermot Sheehan said unfortunately for the accused man, he came to the attention of gardaí more recently for suspected drug-driving.

The judge imposed a sentence of five and a half years with the last two years suspended at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.