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. 5644Possession of cannabis for sale or supply · Co. Dublin · 23 Oct 2020

Man jailed for 6½ years over €6m cannabis in Dublin

On 23 October 2020, 304kg of cannabis with an estimated street value of €6,080,000 was intercepted at Dublin Port after arriving in a van from Bilbao, Spain, hidden in shoeboxes. Ryon Fitzpatrick, a 34-year-old man from Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, was arrested with two others as they prepared to enter a derelict field in Swords, Co Dublin, while driving a lookout car in convoy with the van. He was later arrested in Spain in 2023 and extradited to Ireland in December 2023. Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply and was sentenced to 6½ years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in June 2024. Co-accused Anthony Kinghorn, a 51-year-old man from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, was jailed for eight years in 2021, and Mark Nesbitt, a 53-year-old man, was jailed for eight years in 2022.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced6 Jul
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
304kg of cannabis with an estimated street value of €6,080,000 was hidden in shoeboxes in a van that arrived from Bilbao, Spain, through Dublin Port.
Where
The offence took place at Stockhole Lane, Cloghran, Swords, Co Dublin.
When
The offence took place on 23 October 2020.
Cause
Fitzpatrick drove a lookout car in convoy with the van carrying the drugs.
Investigation
  • Gardaí arranged a controlled delivery of the drugs to a logistics centre in Dublin after receiving information about the cannabis.
  • Fitzpatrick was arrested in Spain in 2023 and extradited to Ireland in December 2023.
Charges
Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply.
In court
The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Sentence
Fitzpatrick was sentenced to 6½ years, with a headline sentence of 11½ years reduced to nine and the final 2½ years suspended.
Other details
  • Co-accused Anthony Kinghorn, a 51-year-old man from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, was sentenced to 10 years with the final two years suspended in 2021.
  • Co-accused Mark Nesbitt, a 53-year-old man, was found guilty by a jury in 2022 and jailed for eight years.
  • Fitzpatrick, a 34-year-old man from Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, has 13 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic offences.
36 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA man was caught helping to transport €6 million worth of cannabis hidden in a fake shoebox consignment. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe drugs came into the country in a shipment from Bilbao, Spain, and were intercepted by customs officials. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereKinghorn is from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, London, England. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereFitzpatrick and two other men were arrested as they prepared to enter a derelict field in north county Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe offence took place at Stockhole Lane, Cloghran, Swords, Co Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe offence took place on October 23, 2020. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe cannabis had a value in excess of €6 million and entered the country through Dublin Port. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeFitzpatrick drove an accompanying lookout car travelling in convoy with the van. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA controlled delivery was put into place after gardaí received information about the cannabis. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationFitzpatrick was arrested and questioned but not charged, and later moved to Spain. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí arranged a controlled delivery of the drugs to a logistics centre in Dublin, which was put under surveillance. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeFitzpatrick pleaded guilty to one count of possessing cannabis for sale or supply. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Melanie Greally presided over the sentencing. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtGarrett McCormack BL was prosecuting and James Dwyer SC was defending. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtA total of 304kg of cannabis was found in shoeboxes in the van, with an estimated street value of €6,080,000. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Pauline Codd said it was a serious crime involving a serious amount of drugs. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceKinghorn was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with the final two years suspended. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceFitzpatrick was jailed for 6½ years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of 11½ years and reduced it to nine after mitigation. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe final 2½ years of the sentence were suspended on several conditions. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe suspended portion required him to leave the jurisdiction within one week and not return for 10 years. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe has 20 previous convictions recorded in the UK. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA co-accused travelled to Dublin from London the previous week and stayed for four days. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherKinghorn was responsible for organising the flights and accommodation. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe drugs were loaded into a van driven by the co-accused with Kinghorn as a passenger. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe cannabis was discovered in the pallets underneath a box containing worn shoes. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherKinghorn used his own name and passport to book accommodation. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherKinghorn is involved in coaching local sports teams in London. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherFitzpatrick was arrested in Spain and extradited to Ireland. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA small amount of cocaine was found in Fitzpatrick's car. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGardaí believe Fitzpatrick was at around the mid-level of a criminal gang. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherFitzpatrick has 13 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic offences. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherCo-accused Anthony Kinghorn pleaded guilty and was jailed for eight years in 2021. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherCo-accused Mark Nesbitt was found guilty by a jury after a 2022 trial and was jailed for eight years. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 18 Jun2024
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Man caught helping to transport €6m worth of cannabis in van full of shoeboxes jailed

    Sentencing report: Fitzpatrick jailed for 6½ years over the €6m cannabis shipment, with the sentence reduced from 11½ years to nine and the final 2½ suspended. Also covers the co-accused, Kinghorn and Nesbitt, who were each jailed for eight years.

    convicted, Ryon Fitzpatrick, 34, male, named, irish (judged from name)Ryon Fitzpatrickconvicted, Anthony Kinghorn, 51, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Anthony Kinghornconvicted, Mark Nesbitt, 53, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Mark Nesbitt
  2. 6 Jul2021
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Man caught transporting drugs worth €6m jailed

    Reports Anthony Kinghorn's sentencing to 10 years (8 effective) for his role in the €6m cannabis operation, including details of the controlled delivery via Dublin Port, the encrypted mobile phone, his 20 previous UK convictions, and the suspended portion requiring him to leave the jurisdiction.

    convicted, Anthony Kinghorn, 48, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Anthony Kinghornaccused, male