Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6748Drug possession for sale or supply (ketamine); importation of ketamine (taken into consideration) · Co. Dublin · 2 Sep 2023

British teenager jailed for three years over €445,000 ketamine seizure at Dublin Airport

Jemima Tambo Bebi, a British woman described as 20 in the case facts (the Irish Times says she was 19), was arrested at Dublin Airport on 2 September 2023 after US Customs pre-clearance officials x-rayed a suitcase containing about seven kilos of ketamine, valued at over €445,000, when her flight stopped there. She later pleaded guilty on signed pleas to possessing the ketamine for sale or supply, with a count of importation taken into consideration. In January 2024 she was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Court to three years in prison, backdated to 2 September 2023, with the judge saying her young age allowed the court to depart from the 10-year mandatory minimum.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced17 Jan
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A suitcase containing about seven kilos of ketamine, valued at over €445,000, was found in her possession.
Where
The suitcase was found at Terminal 2, Dublin Airport.
When
The offence took place on 2 September 2023.
Other details
  • She had picked up the locked suitcase in Amsterdam and was bound for the west coast of the US.
  • Sources differ on her age: the case facts give 20, while the Irish Times reports she was 19 when she collected the suitcase.
  • She was under instructions from a man she had met two months earlier.
  • The judge said she had no previous convictions and had cooperated fully with the investigation.
Investigation
  • US Customs pre-clearance officials x-rayed the suitcase when her flight to Los Angeles stopped at Dublin Airport.
  • She was handed over to Irish Customs and arrested.
  • Forensic Science Ireland analysed the white powder as ketamine.
Charges
  • She pleaded guilty on signed pleas to possessing ketamine valued at €445,452 for sale or supply.
  • A count of importing the ketamine on the same occasion was taken into consideration.
In court
  • She was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Court by Judge Martin Nolan.
  • The judge said her young age allowed the court to depart from the 10-year mandatory minimum sentence.
  • The judge said he would have considered five to six years for an adult convicted of the same offence.
Sentence
She was sentenced to three years in prison, backdated to 2 September 2023, when she went into custody.
17 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA British teenager was caught at Dublin Airport with a suitcase containing over €445,000 of horse tranquiliser. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe suitcase contained about seven kilos of ketamine, bound for the west coast of the US. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe drugs were found at Terminal 2, Dublin Airport. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe offence took place on 2 September. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe suitcase was x-rayed by US Customs pre-clearance officials when her flight stopped at Dublin Airport. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationShe was handed over to Irish Customs and arrested. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationForensic Science Ireland analysed the white powder as ketamine. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeShe came forward on signed pleas, including possessing ketamine valued at €445,452 for sale or supply. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeA count of importing the ketamine on the same occasion was taken into consideration. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtSentence was passed at Dublin Circuit Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge said her young age allowed the court to depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceShe was sentenced to three years in prison. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to when she went into custody on 2 September. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge said he would have considered five to six years for an Irish adult convicted of the same offence. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherShe was under instructions from a man she had met two months earlier. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe judge said she had pleaded guilty and cooperated fully with the investigation. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherShe had no previous convictions. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 17 Jan2024
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Teenager caught with over €445,000 worth of ketamine at Dublin Airport jailed

    Reports the sentence of three years, backdated to 2 September 2023, and the judge's remarks on her age, character and role in the operation.

    convicted, Jemima Tambo Bebi, 20, female, British, named, non-irishJemima Tambo Bebi