Thursday 5 November 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. 29627Possession of drugs (cocaine, cannabis); drug trafficking (sale or supply) · Co. Laois · 12 Oct 2021

Drug case adjourned to Portlaoise Circuit Court after Mountmellick raid

On 13 October 2021, Mountmellick Gardaí, the Portlaoise Community Policing Unit, and the Portlaoise Detective Unit searched a premises at 1 Derrycloney, Mountmellick, Laois, and seized €11,500 in cash, €16,000 worth of cocaine, €5,000 worth of cannabis, and €4,500 worth of fireworks. Roxanne Cawley, a woman aged 28, and Tony Cawley, a man aged 29, were arrested in connection with the haul. Both were charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine for sale or supply, possession of cannabis, and possession of cannabis for sale or supply relating to 12 October 2021. At Portlaoise District Court on 15 October 2021, Judge Catherine Staines refused jurisdiction and the case was adjourned to 20 January 2022 at Portlaoise Circuit Court.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested15 Oct
  3. Charged13 Oct
  4. In court15 Oct
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • €11,500 in cash, €16,000 worth of cocaine, €5,000 worth of cannabis, and €4,500 worth of fireworks were seized from a premises in Mountmellick.
  • The cash was sorted in bundles of €50 notes and the fireworks were likely ready for the Halloween black market.
Where
The search was carried out at 1 Derrycloney, Mountmellick, Laois.
When
The operation took place on 13 October 2021 and the charges relate to 12 October 2021.
Investigation
  • Mountmellick Gardaí, the Portlaoise Community Policing Unit, and the Portlaoise Detective Unit carried out the search.
  • Two people were arrested in connection with the haul, though one report describes them as two men.
Charges
Roxanne Cawley (28) and Tony Cawley (29) were charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine for sale or supply, possession of cannabis, and possession of cannabis for sale or supply.
In court
  • Judge Catherine Staines refused jurisdiction at Portlaoise District Court on 15 October 2021.
  • The case was adjourned to 20 January 2022 at Portlaoise Circuit Court to allow a book of evidence to be prepared.
Other details
Free legal aid was assigned to defence solicitor Philip Meagher.
22 statements extracted from the articles
  • what€11,500 in cash was seized (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • what€16,000 worth of cocaine was seized (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • what€5,000 worth of cannabis was seized (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • what€4,500 worth of fireworks was seized (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThe cash was sorted in bundles of €50 notes (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatScores of fireworks were likely ready for the Halloween black market (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe cash was neatly sorted in bundles of €50 notes (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatScores of fireworks were seized, likely ready for the Halloween black market (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatDrugs valued at €21,000 were seized in Mountmellick (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whereThe search was carried out at a premises in Mountmellick (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereThe charges relate to 1 Derrycloney, Mountmellick (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whenThe operation took place on Wednesday, 13 October 2021 (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenThe charges relate to 12 October 2021 (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • investigationMountmellick Gardaí, Portlaoise Community Policing Unit and Portlaoise Detective Unit carried out the search (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationTwo people were arrested in connection with the haul (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • investigationTwo men were arrested in connection with the haul (offalyexpress.ie)
  • chargeBoth were charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine for sale or supply, possession of cannabis, and possession of cannabis for sale or supply (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe two arrested people were charged to appear before Portlaoise District Court (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtJudge Catherine Staines refused jurisdiction at Portlaoise District Court (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe case will be heard before Portlaoise Circuit Court where higher penalties apply (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe case was adjourned to 20 January to allow a book of evidence to be prepared (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherFree legal aid was assigned to defence solicitor Philip Meagher (leinsterexpress.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 15 Oct2021
    In courtleinsterexpress.ie, follow-up
    Man and woman in Portlaoise court after Laois garda raid

    First court appearance; jurisdiction refused at District Court and case adjourned to Circuit Court. Free legal aid assigned to defence solicitor Philip Meagher.

    accused, Roxanne Cawley, 28, female, named, irish (judged from name)Roxanne Cawleyaccused, Tony Cawley, 29, male, named, irish (judged from name)Tony Cawley
  2. 15 Oct2021
    Arrestedoffalyexpress.ie, its first report
    GALLERY: Two men arrested as gardai in Midlands seize haul of cash, drugs and fireworks

    Details of the Mountmellick search operation, the units involved, and the full list of items seized.

    suspect, malesuspect, male
  3. 13 Oct2021
    Chargedleinsterexpress.ie, first report
    Laois gardaí seize wads of cash, boxes of fireworks and big stash of drugs

    Reports the seizure of cash, cocaine, cannabis and fireworks from a Mountmellick premises and the arrest and charging of two people.

    suspectsuspect