Mayo drug dealer caught in ‘vortex of debt’ is jailed
The cocaine discovered in separate searches had a total street value estimated at over €13,000.
A man has been jailed after he was caught with thousands of euro worth of cocaine twice in the space of five days.
Alan Boyle, aged 48, of McHale Road, Castlebar, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for the purpose of supply, before a sitting of Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
Gda Caroline Hyland told the court that following a tip-off, Boyle’s home was searched on June 24, 2022. A plastic container filled with six bags of cocaine and five deals bags of cannabis stashed in a glass jar were discovered.
The 20 grammes of cocaine found were worth an estimated €1,454 and the cannabis was valued at €762. More than €1000 in cash was also seized.
Just five days later Gardai in Ballina received information that a car was acting suspiciously in the town. The Ford Focus was stopped at Clare Street. A female driver and Boyle, who was a front-seat passenger, were “acting suspiciously”.
A blue plastic bag containing cocaine fell out of Boyle’s jacket. There were 48 smaller individual bags of the drug in the plastic bag.
The 167 grammes of cocaine found had an estimated street value of €11,676.
Boyle has 69 previous convictions, including five for drug offences.
Barrister Diarmuid Connolly, representing Boyle, said his client had a “chronic” drug addiction and was acting to pay off a drug debt when he was caught by Gardai.
He said the substantial debt made Boyle “economically vulnerable to people who would make him do their bidding.” The court heard that when his McHale Road home was searched, Boyle asked for the money back so he could pay his drug dealers.
Gda Hyland agreed that the accused was at the “lower end” of the drugs trade.
Giving evidence, Boyle told the court he believed he had been “set up” as when he was stopped by Gardai in Ballina the drugs had only been in his hands for 10 minutes.
Judge Eoin Garavan said he recognised that Boyle had been caught in a “vortex of drug debt” but stated that the man’s issues were of his own making.
“This is a man of 48 years of age. He should have known better,” he added.
The Judge jailed Boyle for a total of five years.
