by Andrew Carey
DETAILS of an “elaborate and sophisticated” enterprise to bring over €1million worth of cannabis from Holland to a small cottage in County Limerick via Germany, the UK and Norther Ireland, were revealed in court this week.
Shane Ferguson (45) of Ahane, Lisnagry, Limerick and Kieran Nevin (35) of Lower Annagh, Lisnagry pleaded guilty to the illegal possession of the drugs in Ahane on May 25, 2012.
Detective Garda Paul Crowley said that Ferguson, an unemployed carpenter, drove to Newry where he was to pick up five large boxes which originated in Holland and contained over 50kg of cannabis herb.
The boxes had been flown to Cologne and on to Castle Donington in the UK before being delivered to the house in Newry on May 25, 2012. Ferguson was then to deliver the cannabis to the cottage in Ahane from where it was to be distributed throughout Limerick.
However, a Garda surveillance operation was in place and Ferguson’s movements were tracked throughout.
Before returning to Limerick, Ferguson tore the Hire-A-Van stickers off the rental vehicle and threw them in the bin, he also discarded the external shipping boxes at the house. These were later recovered by members of the PSNI in a follow-up operation.
Ferguson was met by Kieran Nevin at Ahane school in a Mazda car which Ferguson took and drove to Finnegans Bar. There, he bought cigarettes and a drink and stayed for a short period.
Meantime, Nevin drove the van load of drugs to the cottage he had rented some months previously. He had intended to leave it but was coaxed by a serious criminal element to keep the lease on the property.
Nevin, who had adopted the alias “Tony Brown” had a €3,400 gambling debt and his involvement would clear the debt and leave him “with a few hundred in the end”.
The drugs were transferred from the van to the cottage and Nevin left but Gardaí apprehended him a short distance from the cottage and arrested Shane Ferguson at around the same time.
The boxes containing the drugs were dropped off at the Eindhoven UPS depot in Holland at 9.23am on May 24, 2012. Tracking details attached to the parcel codes showed the boxes passed through Cologne after midnight on the 25th, on to Castle Donington Airport in the UK after 4am on the same date before eventually touching down at Newtownabbey where they were then delivered to the pick-up address in Newry after 10am.
The investigation involved security agencies from the UK, Northern Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands while Interpol shared intelligence on the drugs origin and shipments.
When questioned, Nevin, who has 25 previous convictions, said that he had accrued the gambling debt and that it would be written off if he cooperated and the investigating Gardaí accepted that this was the case.
He was told to collect a phone from the back of the Handball Alley in St Mary’s Park and wait for a call. He did this and left his home when the drop was ready. He also admitted he carried out a similar job two months earlier.
Ferguson, who has 11 previous convictions, said that he was doing it for a friend who owed money. Gardai however, did not accept this evidence.
Both men became involved in the enterprise to make money but they were not the owners of the drugs but they admitted involvement to the Gardaí.
Brendan Nix SC, said that Ferguson was in poor financial circumstances and he reiterated the fact there was a serious criminal element involved.
“Those boys don’t mess around”, added Mr Nix, referring to his client’s doubts about carrying through on the job.
“It’s gobshites like those – they think they own the country – who prey on fools, fools like these two men before the court caught moving drugs for others”.
Mr Nix added that Shane Ferguson was in custody for three months after his arrest in May 2012, but was released for a period on High Court bail before returning to custody 12 months ago.
During this time he studied yoga, Spanish, art and computers while he also cooked breakfast in the prison canteen. He also undertook anger management and drug rehabilitation courses.
Judge Carroll Moran granted an application from Anthony Samon SC, on behalf of Kieran Nevin to adjourn the matter until January 17 for character witnesses to be heard.
