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. 29676Possession of drugs (cannabis); drug trafficking · Co. Kilkenny · 7 Oct 2021

Man charged over €1.18m cannabis seizure in Kilkenny

Revenue officers seized 59kg of cannabis with an estimated street value of €1.18 million during a joint operation with the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau in Kilkenny on 7 October 2021, targeting an organised crime group. Two men were arrested: a man in his 20s at the scene and a man in his 40s after a vehicle was intercepted, both detained at Kilkenny Garda Station. The man in his 20s was released without charge on 8 October 2021 with a file to be prepared for the DPP. Slavimir Bubuscak, a 43-year-old man of Kilkenny, was charged with two offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act and remanded on bail at a special sitting of Gorey District Court on 9 October 2021 to appear at Kilkenny District Court on 16 November for DPP directions.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested8 Oct
    4 reports
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court7 Oct
    4 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • 59kg of cannabis with an estimated street value of €1.18 million was seized by Revenue officers.
  • A man in his 20s was arrested at the scene and a man in his 40s was arrested after a vehicle was intercepted in the Kilkenny area.
Where
The seizure and arrests took place in the Kilkenny area.
When
The joint operation was conducted on Thursday 7 October 2021.
Investigation
  • The operation was a joint effort by the Revenue Customs Service and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau targeting an organised crime group operating in the Kilkenny area.
  • Both men were detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at Kilkenny Garda Station.
Other details
The man in his 20s was released without charge on 8 October 2021 with a file to be prepared for the DPP.
Charges
Slavimir Bubuscak, 43, of Redwood, Castle Gardens, Kilkenny, was charged with two offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
In court
  • He appeared before a special sitting of Gorey District Court on 9 October 2021.
  • He was remanded on bail with a bond of €10,000 and an independent cash surety of €5,000, with conditions including residing at his address, notifying gardaí of changes, not applying for travel documentation, and signing on at Kilkenny Garda Station daily.
  • He is to appear at Kilkenny District Court on 16 November for DPP directions.
54 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe operation resulted in the seizure of €1.18 million of cannabis subject to analysis (garda.ie)
  • what59kgs of cannabis with an estimated street value of €1,180,000 was seized by Revenue Officers (extra.ie)
  • whatA vehicle was intercepted in the Kilkenny area and a man in his 40s was arrested (extra.ie, irishtimes.com, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • what59kgs of cannabis was seized during the operation (kilkennypeople.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe cannabis had an estimated street value of €1,180,000 (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatA man in his 20s was arrested at the scene (kilkennypeople.ie, irishtimes.com, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatA vehicle was subsequently intercepted in the Kilkenny area (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatA man in his 40s was arrested after the vehicle was intercepted (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • what59kg of cannabis with an estimated street value of €1.18 million was seized by Revenue officers in Kilkenny. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatCannabis with an estimated street value of €1.18 million was seized (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatSlavimir Bubuscak, 43, was charged with two offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act (rte.ie)
  • whatCannabis herb weighing 59kg with an estimated street value of €1.18 million was seized (rte.ie)
  • whatThe cannabis seizure was worth €1.18 million and took place in Kilkenny on Thursday 7 October 2021. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatA man was charged in connection with the seizure of €1.18 million worth of cannabis (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatThe defendant is Slavimir Bubuscak, 43, of Redwood, Castle Gardens, Kilkenny (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whatCannabis herb with an estimated street value of €1.18 million was seized (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whereThe man in his 20s is detained at Kilkenny Garda Station (extra.ie)
  • whereThe man in his 40s is also detained at Kilkenny Garda Station (extra.ie)
  • whereBoth men are detained at Kilkenny Garda Station (kilkennypeople.ie, irishtimes.com, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whenThe joint operation was conducted on Thursday 7 October 2021 (extra.ie)
  • whenThe seizure took place on Thursday, 7 October 2021. (irishtimes.com, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • investigationA file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe operation was a joint effort by Revenue Customs Service and the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (extra.ie)
  • investigationThe operation targeted persons suspected to be involved in an organised crime group operating in the Kilkenny area (extra.ie, kilkennypeople.ie)
  • investigationThe operation was a joint operation by Revenue Customs Service and the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • investigationThe operation was a joint one by Revenue Customs Service and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe operation targeted persons suspected to be involved in an organised crime group operating in the area. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationRevenue said investigations are ongoing and the public can contact them on a confidential phone line. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe operation was a joint one by Revenue Customs Service and the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • investigationThe seizure followed a joint operation involving Revenue customs officials and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Unit (rte.ie)
  • investigationA second man was arrested and questioned in relation to the seizure. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • investigationThe seizure was made as part of a joint operation by the Revenue Customs Service and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • investigationThe seizure followed a joint operation involving Revenue customs officials and members of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Unit on Thursday (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • chargeGardaí charged one man in relation to the joint operation in Kilkenny on 7 October 2021 (garda.ie)
  • chargeA man in his 40s has been charged in relation to the seizure (garda.ie)
  • chargeBoth men are detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 (extra.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • chargeSlavimir Bubuscak was charged by Detective Garda Mark Berigan (rte.ie)
  • chargeHe was charged with two offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • courtThe charged man is due to appear before a Special sitting of Gorey District Court on 9 October 2021 at 5pm (garda.ie)
  • courtHe was brought before a special sitting of Gorey District Court (rte.ie)
  • courtThere was no objection to bail on a bond of €10,000 and an independent cash surety of €5,000 (rte.ie)
  • courtBail conditions included residing at the given address, notifying gardaí of changes, not applying for travel documentation, and signing on at Kilkenny Garda Station daily (rte.ie)
  • courtJudge Kevin Staunton remanded the accused on bail to appear at Kilkenny District Court on 16 November for DPP directions (rte.ie)
  • courtLegal aid was granted to the accused (rte.ie)
  • courtA man is due to appear before a special court sitting on 9 October 2021. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • courtHe appeared before a special sitting of Gorey District Court on Saturday evening (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • courtHe was remanded on bail subject to conditions including an independent cash surety (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • courtHe is to appear before Kilkenny District Court on 16 November (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • otherA man in his 20s was released without charge on 8 October 2021 (garda.ie)
  • otherBoth men are detained pursuant to Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 (kilkennypeople.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe operation targeted an organised crime group operating in the Kilkenny area (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherTwo men were arrested at the time of the operation (rte.ie)
  • otherOne man in his 20s was released without charge with a file to be prepared for the DPP (rte.ie)
  • otherThe second man was released without charge. (kilkennypeople.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 12 Oct2021
    In courtkilkennypeople.ie, follow-up
    Male charged over €1.18 million cannabis seizure in Kilkenny City

    Details the charging and bail of Slavimir Bubuscak following the €1.18 million cannabis seizure, including the joint Revenue and GNDU operation and his next court date.

    accused, Slavimir Bubuscak, 43, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Slavimir Bubuscak
  2. 9 Oct2021
    In courtkilkennypeople.ie, follow-up
    Man to appear in court in connection with Kilkenny cannabis haul

    Confirms the man is due before a special court sitting on 9 October; a second man arrested and questioned in relation to the seizure was released without charge.

    accused, malesuspect, male
  3. 9 Oct2021
    In courtrte.ie, its first report
    Man in court in relation to €1.2m cannabis seizure

    Provides details of the court appearance at Gorey District Court, the bail amount and conditions, the judge's name, and the next court date at Kilkenny District Court on 16 November for DPP directions.

    accused, Slavimir Bubuscak, 43, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Slavimir Bubuscaksuspect, 20s, male
  4. 8 Oct2021
    Arrestedleinsterexpress.ie, its first report
    Arrests made after huge seizure of smuggled cannabis near Laois

    Reports the initial arrests of two men (aged 20s and 40s) at the scene and after a vehicle interception, both detained at Kilkenny Garda Station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

    suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 40s, male
  5. 8 Oct2021
    Arrestedirishtimes.com, its first report
    Two men arrested after cannabis worth €1.18m seized in Kilkenny

    Provides details of the arrests of both men, their ages, the vehicle interception, detention under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996, and the joint Revenue/GNOCB operation targeting an organised crime group.

    suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 40s, male
  6. 8 Oct2021
    Arrestedkilkennypeople.ie, its first report
    BREAKING: Two arrested as gardaí and Revenue seize €1.18m drugs in Kilkenny

    Provides details of the two arrests: a man in his 20s arrested at the scene and a man in his 40s arrested after a vehicle was intercepted, both detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

    suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 40s, male
  7. 8 Oct2021
    Arrestedextra.ie, its first report
    Two men arrested as gardai seize over €1m worth of drugs in huge bust - Extra.ie

    Confirms the 59kg quantity of cannabis, the joint Revenue and GNDOCB operation details, and that both men are detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at Kilkenny Garda Station.

    suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 40s, male
  8. 7 Oct2021
    In courtgarda.ie, first report
    Court Appearance €1.18 Million Drug Seizure, Joint Operation Co. Kilkenny 7th October, 2021

    Garda.ie press release confirming the charging of the man in his 40s, his court appearance at a Special sitting of Gorey District Court on 9 October 2021, and the release without charge of the man in his 20s with a file to the DPP.

    accused, 40s, malesuspect, 20s, male