Sunday 1 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. 10528Cannabis cultivation (growhouse operation) · Co. Dublin

Man jailed for six years over cannabis growhouse in Tallaght

In May 2023, gardaí raided a cannabis growhouse at Killinarden Heights, Tallaght, where the upstairs had been converted to grow cannabis in all three bedrooms. Niall Smith, a man aged 51, was arrested by the Dublin Crime Response Unit after being caught trying to climb out of a bathroom window during the raid. He pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis at the address, with a charge of possessing cannabis for sale or supply dropped by the prosecution. In March 2026, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Smith to seven years with the final 12 months suspended, an effective term of six years, after a headline sentence of nine years was reduced for mitigation.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced1 Mar
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A cannabis growhouse was operated in a house where the upstairs had been converted to grow cannabis in all three bedrooms.
Where
The growhouse was at Killinarden Heights, Tallaght, Dublin.
When
The growhouse was raided by gardaí in May 2023.
Investigation
  • Gardaí seized 50 cannabis plants, seeds, and about €40,000 of cannabis herb, along with cash and shotgun cartridges at the house.
  • Smith was arrested by officers from the Dublin Crime Response Unit after being caught trying to climb out of a bathroom window during the raid.
Charges
  • Smith pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis at the Killinarden address on 3 May 2023, after a jury had been sworn.
  • A charge of possessing cannabis for sale or supply was dropped by the prosecution.
In court
Judge Jonathan Dunphy described Smith as an experienced cultivator and noted the scale and sophistication of the growing system as aggravating.
Sentence
  • Smith was sentenced to seven years in prison with the final 12 months suspended for two years, an effective term of six years, after a headline sentence of nine years was reduced for mitigation.
  • The co-accused, who owned the house, was sentenced to five years with the final 12 months suspended.
Other details
  • Smith has five previous convictions, including one for cultivating cannabis in 2013 in Courtown, Wexford, for which he received a suspended seven-year sentence.
  • The Criminal Assets Bureau connected Smith to the Byrne organised crime group, the Dublin branch of the Kinahan gang, and confiscated and sold two of his houses in Leitrim for over a quarter of a million euro.
29 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA boat yard worker was jailed for six years for cultivating cannabis in a grow house. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe house had been converted upstairs to grow cannabis in all three bedrooms. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatNiall Smith was jailed for six years at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (rte.ie)
  • whatGardaí seized 50 cannabis plants and about €40,000 of cannabis herb. (rte.ie)
  • whatGardaí found cash and shotgun cartridges at a house in Killinarden Heights. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe grow house was at Killinarden Heights, Tallaght. (thejournal.ie)
  • whereThe growhouse raided by gardaí was in Tallaght. (rte.ie)
  • whenGardaí prevented Smith from jumping out of an upstairs window in May 2023. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe Tallaght growhouse was raided in May 2023. (rte.ie)
  • investigationGardaí seized cannabis plants and seeds worth €68,149. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationGardaí found about €2,155 in cash in Smith's car. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationSmith was arrested by officers from the Dublin Crime Response Unit. (rte.ie)
  • investigationSmith was caught trying to get out of the bathroom window during the raid. (rte.ie)
  • chargeSmith pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis at the Killinarden address on 3 May 2023. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeA charge of possessing cannabis for sale or supply was dropped by the prosecution. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtJudge Jonathan Dunphy said the scale and sophistication of the growing system were aggravating. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtSmith pleaded guilty only after a jury was sworn. (rte.ie)
  • courtJudge Jonathan Dunphy described Smith as an experienced cultivator who was trusted to work in the drugs cultivation operation. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of nine years, reduced to seven years for mitigation. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge suspended the final 12 months of the sentence for two years. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe co-accused was sentenced to five years with the final 12 months suspended. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceSmith was sentenced to seven years in prison with the final year suspended. (rte.ie)
  • otherSmith has five previous convictions, including one for cultivating cannabis in 2013. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe co-accused, who owned the house, bypassed the electricity meter. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherSmith was previously caught in 2013 running a growhouse in Courtown, Wexford, and received a suspended seven-year sentence. (rte.ie)
  • otherSmith set up and ran growhouses in Wexford and Dublin. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe Criminal Assets Bureau connected Smith to the Byrne organised crime group, the Dublin branch of the Kinahan gang. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe Criminal Assets Bureau confiscated and sold two of Smith's houses in Leitrim for over a quarter of a million euro. (rte.ie)
  • otherSmith claims he is a taxi driver who also repairs boats and that his money came from undeclared earnings. (rte.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 12 Mar2026
    Sentencedrte.ie, first report
    Taxi driver jailed for operating cannabis growhouses

    Reports the sentencing of Niall Smith. The lede says he was jailed for six years, but the judge's sentence as quoted is seven years with the final year suspended. The article gives both figures. The Tallaght raid was in May 2023, but the article gives no exact date.

    convicted, Niall Smith, 51, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall Smith
  2. 1 Mar2026
    Sentencedthejournal.ie, first report
    Man caught climbing out bathroom window of cannabis grow house jailed for six years

    Reports the sentencing of Niall Smith to six years, with the final 12 months suspended, for cannabis cultivation at Killinarden Heights, Tallaght. It gives the co-accused's sentence as five years with the final 12 months suspended, and elsewhere as four years.

    convicted, Niall Smith, 51, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall Smithconvicted, male