Tracked to Kilkenny home: blocks of cocaine packaged in hotel room,

Helping to package more than €50,000 worth of illegal drugs, in a hotel room, has ended with a man in court, charged with the sale or supply of drugs.

Christopher O’Shea, 49 Gracedieu Heights, Waterford, was arrested in a premises in Ferrybank, Co Kilkenny, after a Garda Divisional Drugs Unit operation. At Kilkenny Circuit Court he pleaded guilty to the charge.

Garda John O’Connor, a member of the Divisional Drugs Unit in Waterford, gave evidence in court. Based on information received about suspicious activity in a hotel room, gardaí obtained a search warrant for room 309 at the Marina Hotel in Waterford.

At 7.45pm gardaí executed the warrant. The occupants of the hotel room were gone but the gardaí found packaging they suspected had been used to package illegal drugs.

They also found a bag of clothing, but no people.

Gardaí made enquiries with the hotel staff about the occupants of the room and were informed it had been booked by a named man with an address in Ferrybank. This man was not the defendant but has appeared before a separate court.

On CCTV, gardaí saw three males leaving the hotel, just before they had arrived. One of the men was Mr O’Shea, who was with the man who had booked the hotel room.

They were seen, on CCTV, getting into a taxi, after loading a large bag into the boot of the taxi.

Taxi tracked

Gardaí were able to track the men from the hotel room to the taxi, using the CCTV.

Details were obtained from the taxi company and the gardaí learned they went to an address in Abbey Park, Ferrybank.

A warrant for this address was then obtained by the gardaí, who executed it at the Ferrybank home at 8.45pm the same evening.

When gardaí entered the premises they saw two men in the back garden - Mr O’Shea and the other man who had been with him at the hotel and had booked the room there.

That other man attempted to escape over the back fence but was prevented by gardaí. Mr O’Shea did not attempt to escape.

Both men provided gardaí with their correct names, addresses and dates of birth.

In a search of the premises gardaí found the suitcase in a shed at the rear of the property.

When the suitcase was opened, gardaí discovered a large quantity of cocaine. It also contained drug paraphernalia, specifically a press used for making blocks of cocaine, as well as a scales and plastic tubs.

There were four blocks of cocaine in the case and some cocaine in a smaller, ziplock bag.

Mobile phones were seized from both men.

They were arrested and taken to a garda station for questioning.

Mr O’Shea first gave a ‘no comment’ interview, but in his second interview made partial admissions.

The cocaine seized was valued at €51,730.

In interview, Mr O’Shea admitted to gardaí that he had accompanied the other man.

Phone analysis of the other man’s phone found a large amount of evidence of ‘drug dealing at a high level.’ Gardaí were unable to analyse Mr O’Shea’s phone.

The other man was described as ‘the leader of the enterprise’ and Mr O’Shea as ‘a willing participant, but not at the same level’.

Mr O’Shea has no previous convictions.

In his defence, the court heard that Mr O’Shea had not known the value of the drugs and said he did not sell drugs.

Garda O’Connor said Mr O’Shea was asked if he would owe anyone money because of the seizure and he said no, because he is ‘not in the game’.

Serious money

The other man told gardaí he owed ‘serious money’ , more than €28,000, and that he had gotten in with the wrong people.

The other man accepted the drugs and paraphernalia were his.

Mr O’Shea lives with his mother and siblings. A search warrant was obtained for that premises and nothing was found.

He has not come to garda attention since. He is in full time employment and has the support of his mother.

Low Risk

A Probation Report deemed Mr O’Shea, who is 21, at low risk of reoffending.

He worked as a black layer and has completed a pre-apprenticeship course. Since last August Mr O’Shea has been in full time employment.

He was unemployed for a short time, which is when he met the other man, who is five years his senior and involved in the drug scene.

Mr O’Shea “realises this is a road he cannot continue down and has no intention of doing so,” his barrister said. He accepts full responsibility for his role in this matter.

Around August 2022 he became involved with the other man and did have cocaine and cannabis for his own use. He was surprised on this day to see the large quantity of cocaine.

“He had become involved in something far greater than he anticipated.”

Hard lesson

He told the Probation Service he has reflected on his friendships and relationships and has distanced himself from criminality.

He doesn’t drink alcohol and is not dependent on drugs.

“He is a young man who has learned a very hard lesson.”

Mr O’Shea had been impressionable and foolish in terms of the company he was keeping, the barrister said. “The court can have faith and trust in him to turn his life around.”

The report also suggested the matter be adjourned, for a time, to allow Mr O’Shea attend an addiction counselling service they will refer him to.

Judge Jonathan Dunphy said it was open to anyone to go to their own GP for a counselling referral and they don’t have to “wait for the Probation Service to roll out the carpet.”

But, he said, he would give Mr O’Shea to “put his best foot forward,” and adjourned the case to the November sessions of Kilkenny Circuit Court to allow this.

The judge asked for an updated Probation Report at that time and released Mr O’Shea on continuing bail.