Kerry crystal meth case adjourned to consider if server used by Texas-based expert is secure

The 43-year-old has denied five charges linked to the importation and possession of 564kg of methamphetamine seized at Cork Port

James Leen, aged 43, of Pilgrim Hill, Kilmorna, Listowel, Co Kerry, was formally arraigned before the Special Criminal Court on Tuesday, October 27,

James Leen, who is charged in connection with the country’s largest ever crystal meth seizure, had his case adjourned at the Special Criminal Court on Friday to allow gardaí time to consider whether a server used by a Texas-based expert to examine sensitive phone data is secure.

Earlier this month, Colm Smyth, senior counsel for Mr Leen, asked for an adjournment so an expert in Texas in the US could analyse data from phones belonging to various proposed witnesses in the trial.

At the Special Criminal Court on Friday, John Berry SC, for the State, said the court had put in place a protocol which required the defence to extract relevant, non-personal information from the phones which would then be transferred to the US for examination.

A copy of that information was also to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions to allow them to review the material being analysed.

However, Mr Berry said that what has actually happened is that the entire contents has been placed on a server in Ireland which can be accessed remotely by the defence expert in Texas.

Mr Berry said gardaí have a preliminary view that the method of access is secure and there is no suggestion that what has been set up is "slipshod". However, he said that if this was to be the proposed mechanism for access, it should have been brought to the court’s attention.

Ms Justice Biggs adjourned the matter to Monday to allow gardaí to further consider whether they are satisfied that the phone data is secure. She also wants an expert to explain what has happened “in language we can understand”.

Leen formally arraigned this week

Mr Leen, aged 43, of Pilgrim Hill, Kilmorna, Listowel, Co Kerry, was formally arraigned before the Special Criminal Court on Tuesday, October 27, where he entered not-guilty pleas to five charges, including one for directing the activities of a criminal organisation between February 7, 2023, and February 16th, 2024, both dates inclusive, within the State.

Mr Leen also pleaded not guilty to a charge that he imported one or more controlled drugs, namely methylamphetamine, on October 16, 2023, at Cork Port, Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, and at or about the time while the drug was imported the market value of the controlled drug amounted to €13,000 or more.

He further pleaded not guilty to charges of possessing methylamphetamine and having it in his possession for the purpose of sale or supply at Ballyseedy Garden Centre, Tralee, Co Kerry, between October 27, 2023 and February 12, 2024.

Leen also denies a charge of having methylamphetamine worth in excess of €13,000 in his possession for the purpose of sale or supply at the same address and between the same dates.

The case relates to the seizure of 564kg of methamphetamine, or crystal meth, with an estimated value of €32.8m from a container at Cork Port on February 16, 2024.

It is the State's case that a large consignment of drugs was imported from Mexico and stored at the Ballyseedy Garden Centre in Tralee before being transported to Cork, where they were destined for export to Australia.