A search by Garda drugs officers in a midlands bog revealed over €84,000 worth of drugs, Mullingar Circuit Court heard yesterday.
Officers from the Westmeath/Longford divisional drugs unit, headed by Det Sgt Jim Delaney, had carried out surveillance of a turf bank at Garrynagowna Bog, near Athlone, in July 2001.
As result of the drugs find, three people appeared at the court on charges of possessing ecstasy and cannabis resin and having them for sale or supply. Husband and wife, Brian (41) and Denise Johnson (41), College Park, Athlone, together with her brother, Marcus McGrath (37), Rindoon Park, Athlone, all pleaded guilty to supply charges.
The court heard from Det Sgt Delaney that 1,145 ecstasy tablets had been recovered inside a coffee jar that had been buried in the turf bank which had been rented out by the Johnsons on July 27th, 2001.
The street value of the ecstasy was put at €17,175.
Drugs officers had monitored the area for the previous nine days and had observed Brian and Denise Johnson coming to and from the area.
In a further search of the turf bank with the help of the Garda dog unit, five kilos of cannabis resin were recovered, with a street value of €66,659. The total value of the drugs seized came to €83,834.
All three defendants were arrested at their homes and detained. They all later made statements of admission.
Marcus McGrath and Denise Johnson both told the court how they had acted as "lookouts" for Brian Johnson when he was burying or retrieving drugs from the bog.
McGrath said he was deeply ashamed at what he had done.
Judge Anthony Kennedy sentenced Brian Johnson to four years' imprisonment while he imposed a two-year suspended jail term on Denise Johnson and McGrath.