Man tried to flee from Mayo cannabis growhouse
The defendant pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
A Lithuanian national who was caught growing cannabis valued at more than €200,000 has been jailed.
Irenijus Eimontas, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to possessing and cultivating cannabis.
The court was told that gardaí raided a property at Puntabeg, Charlestown, on September 11, 2022. Eimontas, who was the only person in the house, attempted to flee but was apprehended.
A sophisticated cannabis growing operation was uncovered with 259 cannabis plants in a converted outbuilding and six kilograms in refuse bags in a bedroom. The cannabis plants were valued at €207,000. Ordinarily, the six kilograms of cannabis material would be worth more than €120,000, but Gda James O’Brien said the drug was inferior quality "off cuts".
“It would not meet quality standards on the open market,” added prosecutor Patrick Reynolds.
The true value of the off-cuts was closer to €20,000.
Eimontas has no previous convictions in Ireland but has convictions in Lithuania for drug possession, grievous bodily harm, public order, and fraud. He worked as a builder in his home country.
The court heard that Eimontas had been in Ireland for three weeks before moving to Charlestown. He was recruited by a Polish man named ‘Sasha’ while it was claimed his passport was held by another man in Dundalk.
Defending barrister Desmond Dockery said his client started out cleaning up around the property before discovering its true purpose and was tasked with constructing partition walls for the growhouse. It was contended that the accused was "elevated" to the role of a gardener for the cannabis plants.
Mr Dockery said Eimontas, aged 28, was given "petty cash" for food and had been promised the sum of €1,000 following a successful harvest of the cannabis plant.
“He was dependent on his master for food,” said Mr Dockery.
Eimontas has been in custody since December 11, 2022.
Judge Eoin Garavan said he belived Eimontas knew exactly what he was getting himself involved in.
“I don’t believe that he was some sort of innocent bystander."
The judge also rejected the claim that Eimontas was only going to receive €1,000 for his role in the enterprise.
“To me the story is preposterous and does not make sense," he said.
Judge Garavan sentenced Eimontas to four and a half years in prison with one and half years of the term suspended on condition that the accused make a solemn undertaking to leave the country 10 days after his release and not return for 10 years. The prison sentence was backdated to reflect the time already spent in custody.
