A Kenyan who carried herbal cannabis valued at more than €48,000 from South Africa to Ireland has been remanded in custody by Judge Yvonne Murphy for sentence on March 29th.
Duncan Rungren (32), Wooden Lane, Oribi Village, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, yesterday pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having the cannabis for sale or supply at Dublin Airport on August 16th, 2003. Sgt Martin Halpin from Santry Drugs Unit told Mr Tony Hunt, prosecuting, that as well as the cannabis, Rungren was found in possession of $1,500 in counterfeit cash.
Rungren told gardaí he met a Nigerian man at a bar in Johannesburg who asked him to carry a suitcase to Ireland. He said he didn't want to get involved in heavy drugs and was told that the cannabis herb he would be carrying would be less than 10 kilograms in weight. Sgt Halpin said more than 19,000 grams of herbal cannabis were found with an estimated street value of €48,807.
Mr Conor Devally SC, defending, said the offence came to light after Rungren's luggage was lost. Sgt Halpin agreed that Rungren was led to believe his luggage would be sent out to him but was then told he would have to return to the airport to pick it up. When confronted he admitted he had carried the drugs.
Sgt Halpin agreed with Mr Devally this would not be typical behaviour for someone on the drugs scene. "It was rather naive," he said. He further agreed with Mr Devally that Rungren was desperate for money. His wife had told him he could only have access to their son in Kenya if he turned up with some money.
Judge Murphy adjourned the case to enable her to examine recent judgments from the Court of Criminal Appeal.