A Dublin man caught with heroin with a street value of €1.6 million at Rosslare last June was yesterday sentenced to eight years in jail at Wexford Circuit Court.
Edward Farrell, of Bawnlea Avenue, Jobstown, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to having heroin at Ballygillane Little, Rosslare Harbour, Co Wexford, on June 14th.
The court heard that the defendant was stopped by customs officers at the port and following a search of his vehicle heroin to the street value of €1.6 million was found in a compartment.Det Garda Alan Byrne said initially Farrell denied knowledge of the drugs, but then said he was ordered to bring them in or his life and that of his family were threatened.
He told of having attended a party in Dublin where he took some drugs.
He was then told for his part in taking the drugs that he would have to bring in drugs. A gun was put to his head and he was threatened that his family would also be in danger if he did not comply.
Jeremy Maher SC told the court that the defendant's parents had split up when he was 13. It was to ensure the personal threat to himself and his family would not be carried out that he carried the drugs.
For the first dummy run €1,000 was taken off his debt, €1,500 for the second, and for bringing in the heroin €6,000 was taken off his debt.
Judge Tom Teehan said the amount of heroin involved was substantial.
He sentenced Farrell to eight years in prison, but said he would suspend the final six years if Farrell had clear urinalysis samples during his time in prison.