Ireland Lorry driver Andrew Cooley jailed for five years for importing €1m cannabis through Dublin Port
Andrew Cooley, a 32-year-old lorry driver from Ballyoran, Dundalk, Co Louth, was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to importing more than 50kg of cannabis worth over €1m through Dublin Port on 7 June 2025. He was driving an articulated lorry and refrigerated trailer, telling the port inspector he was carrying Amazon goods, when the inspector smelled cannabis and found 31 packages hidden under clothing. Cooley told the court he had transported the drugs under threat from dealers to whom he previously owed a debt that had been repaid a decade earlier. On 27 July 2026, Judge Elma Sheahan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court imposed a seven-year sentence with the final 24 months suspended on strict conditions.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced27 Jul
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Thirty-one packages of cannabis with a street value of €1,007,000 were found under clothing in the lorry.
- Cooley was driving an articulated lorry and refrigerated trailer and told the port inspector he was carrying Amazon goods.
- Where
- The lorry was stopped at Dublin Port.
- When
- The cannabis was discovered on 7 June 2025.
- Charges
- Cooley pleaded guilty to importing more than 50kg of cannabis at Dublin Port.
- In court
- Judge Elma Sheahan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard the case.
- Sentence
- A seven-year sentence was imposed on 27 July 2026 with the final 24 months suspended on strict conditions.
- Other details
- Cooley, of Ballyoran, Dundalk, Co Louth, had eight previous convictions mainly for road traffic matters and had been disqualified from driving twice.
- Cooley told the court he transported the drugs under threat from dealers to whom he previously owed a debt that had been repaid a decade earlier.
- A Garda information form was served on Cooley's family members.
- Cooley received compassionate bail in February 2026 following his mother's death.
13 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThirty-one packages of cannabis were found under clothing in the lorry. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe cannabis had a street value of €1,007,000. (irishtimes.com)
- whatCooley was driving an articulated lorry and refrigerated trailer. (irishtimes.com)
- whatCooley told the inspector he was carrying Amazon goods. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe port inspector smelled cannabis. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA Garda information form was served on Cooley's family members. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeCooley pleaded guilty to importing more than 50kg of cannabis at Dublin Port on 7 June 2025. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceJudge Elma Sheahan imposed a seven-year sentence with the final 24 months suspended on strict conditions. (irishtimes.com)
- otherCooley had eight previous convictions, mainly for road traffic matters. (irishtimes.com)
- otherCooley had been disqualified from driving twice. (irishtimes.com)
- otherCooley had previously been known to gardaí as a drug user. (irishtimes.com)
- otherCooley's parents settled the debt and he had been clean of drugs since 2016. (irishtimes.com)
- otherCooley received compassionate bail in February when his mother died. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 27 Jul2026Lorry driver who imported more than €1m of cannabis through Dublin Port is jailed
Sentencing details, background on prior debt and petrol-bombing of parents' home, GIM served on family, and compassionate bail following mother's death.
convicted, Andrew Cooley, 32, male, named, irish (judged from name)Andrew Cooley