Defendant in drug case was relieved after Garda pursuit came to an end

Trim Circuit Court has heard that the defendant in a €600,000 drugs case was relieved when he was caught following a garda chase which ended at an industrial unit in Slane just over a year ago.

Forty-four-year old Scott Horan with an address at Collins Ave, Whitehall, Dublin pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of the drugs for the purpose of sale or supply on 17th November 2020 at Slane Industrial Unit Slane.

Det Garda Michael Ormond told prosecuting counsel Carl Hanahoe BL that during a joint customs and garda operation a consignment of air filters was intercepted in Dublin on 13th November 2020 and found to contain 31 vacuum packages of cannabis with an estimated street value of €618,000 hidden in a number of the boxes of air filters

Gardai allowed a controlled delivery of the drugs take place and watched as a pallet containing the consignment was dropped off on the side of the road near Duleek where it was signed for by a third party.

Moments later the packages of cannabis were collected by Horan and another man in a Caddy van.

Gardai tried and failed to intercept the van as it left the scene but following a chase caught up with it when it pulled into a business unit in Slane.

The driver ran off and was never caught while the defendant who had been the passenger was arrested and admitted he had loaded the cannabis into the van.

Horan told gardai he was glad the chase was over and referring to the van driver said “he could have killed someone”.

A defence barrister said his client had been under a considerable amount of fear and duress because of his involvement.

Judge Martina Baxter said there was a lot to think about and adjourned the case to April.