This article is from page 4 of the 2014-01-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
TWO drug barons targeted in a 25day undercover Garda operation in West Clare are understood to have fled the country.
Gardaí in Kilrush, in conjunction with the National Drugs Unit spent a total of 1,400 man-hours on the operation that spanned five-months from November 2012 through to the first quarter of 2013.
It emerged during the hearing of one of the minor “but essential cogs” in the drug sales operations, that the “principal players” were not before the court, as they are believed by gardaí to have fled the jurisdiction.
Superintendent Seamus Nolan told Kilrush District Court that Michael Burke with an address at 2 Fahy Road, Kilrush, “would not have been a principal player.”
The 27-year-old was pleading to charges relating to the under cover operation and other unrelated charges.
The court heard that he arranged the sale of € 100 of cannabis to undercover gardaí by phone before meeting them to carry out the sale at 80 Dun na Hinse, Ennis, on November 20, 2012.
He also sold a further € 50 worth of the drugs at the same address on November 22, 2012.
Garda Conor Flaherty said Mr Burke sourced the drugs and then handed them over.
“He was subsequently arrested and co-operated with gardaí,” said the Kilrush Garda.
On June 18, 2013 Mr Burke also admitted being in possession of 50 valium tablets for sale or supply contrary to Section 15 of Misuse of Drug Act 1977 and unlawfully impeding a Garda in the exercise of his duty.
In his evidence to the court Garda Flaherty said Mr Burke had the drugs concealed in a kitchen chair.
“He managed to get his hands on them and hid them,” said the garda adding that gardaí later found them on his person.
Solicitor for the defence Gearoid Williams said his client was detained to mend his ways. “He is trying to live a good life now,” he said.
In his summation Judge Patrick Durcan said; “The Garda authority decided a special target operation be set up in West Clare area to detect this illegal activity.”
Michael Burke became an essential cog in that very efficient machine the judge added.
“The drug barons are now living outside the country and have left a trail of destruction and addiction behind them,” he said.
“This would not operate unless there were retailers in the market who run the operation,” explained the judge, adding that Mr Burke fitted into the category.
Judge Durcan sentenced Mr Burke to three consecutive four-month sentences for the sale and supply of drugs and took a charge of drug possession into account.
He handed down a concurrent sentence of four months in prison for obstructing a garda.He suspended the year in prison for two years, telling the defendant “this is a belt and braces job.”
He also ordered that he be assisted by the probation services.