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. 3813Possession of controlled drugs for sale or supply · Co. Dublin · 26 Jul 2025

Delivery driver Riley Burke, 25, jailed for five years over €716,000 cannabis at Dublin Airport

Riley Burke, 25, a Canadian delivery driver, was sentenced to five years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of over 35kg of cannabis worth €716,200 for sale or supply, found in suitcases at Dublin Airport on 26 July 2025.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced16 Feb
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
15 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatRiley Burke, 25, with an address in Canada, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA suitcase burst open before it was placed on the luggage belt, leading to the discovery of cannabis. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatOver 35kg of cannabis worth €716,200 was found in the suitcases. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenBurke arrived on a flight from Toronto on 26 July 2025. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationCustoms officers used a dog to examine the rest of the baggage on the flight. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationCCTV footage showed Burke waiting for the bags and checking labels. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationBurke was arrested and made no admissions at interview but was generally co-operative. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge backdated the five-year sentence to the date Burke went into custody. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBurke told gardaí he was in Ireland as a tourist for a week and said he picked up the two suitcases by mistake. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBurke has no previous convictions in Ireland, Canada, or the United States. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBurke has been in custody since his arrest. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe garda agreed Burke is at the lowest rung of the ladder and had no financial interest in the drugs. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBurke had a debt of $20,000 Canadian dollars (approximately €12,000) restructured to $10,000. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBurke was to receive $1,000 to reduce his debt but did not receive it. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 16 Feb2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Delivery driver caught with cannabis worth €716k at airport jailed for five years

    Reports the sentencing of Riley Burke to five years' imprisonment, backdated to the date of his arrest, for possession of cannabis for sale or supply at Dublin Airport.

    convicted, Riley Burke, 25, male, Canadian, named, non-irishRiley Burke