A man who ran a cocaine manufacturing and mixing plant at his home in Dublin has received a 12-year sentence.
Drug paraphernalia and cocaine valued at €440,000 were found at the home of Rory Lyons (39) a father of five from Fortlawn Park, Blanchardstown.
Lyons pleaded guilty to possession of seven kilos of the drug for sale or supply at that address on September 21st, 2004.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard earlier that gardaí received information that equipment associated with the drugs trade was seen being carried onto Lyons's property.
Gardaí went to his address the following day with a search warrant and saw Lyons in his back garden beside buckets of the white powder Mannitol, which is commonly used as a mixing agent in the preparation of cocaine for sale.
Lyons was wearing latex gloves which he removed as gardaí jumped over the garden wall. Seven kilos of cocaine was found in the shed as well as a vacuum compressor and weighing scales.
Lyons claimed he was addicted to cocaine and alcohol.
Judge Katherine Delahunt dismissed the claim, saying she believed he was a recreational drug user. She suspended four years of the sentence and said the offence was at the serious end of the scale as Lyons was operating a manufacturing and mixing plant rather than simply storing drugs