Ireland Taxi driver jailed for operating cannabis growhouses
Niall Smith, a 51-year-old man of Limekiln Road, Greenhills, Dublin, was arrested by officers from the Dublin Crime Response Unit after a growhouse he ran in Tallaght was raided in May 2023, and he was caught trying to escape through a bathroom window. Gardaí seized 50 cannabis plants and about €40,000 of cannabis herb, and the Criminal Assets Bureau later confiscated and sold two of his Leitrim houses. Smith pleaded guilty only after a jury was sworn, and the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to seven years with the final year suspended, although some reports give the sentence as six years. The most recent development is that the sentence was reported on 12 March 2026.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced12 Mar
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Niall Smith, a 51-year-old man, was jailed for operating cannabis growhouses.
- Gardaí seized 50 cannabis plants and about €40,000 of cannabis herb.
- Where
- The growhouse raided by gardaí was in Tallaght, and Smith lives at Limekiln Road, Greenhills, Dublin 12.
- When
- The Tallaght growhouse was raided in May 2023, though no exact date is given.
- Weapon
- Gardaí found cash and shotgun cartridges at a house in Killinarden Heights.
- Investigation
- Officers from the Dublin Crime Response Unit arrested Smith, who was caught trying to get out of the bathroom window during the raid.
- Other details
- Smith claims he is a taxi driver who also repairs boats and that his money came from undeclared earnings.
- Gardaí say Smith was linked to the Kinahan organised crime group, and the Criminal Assets Bureau connected him to the Byrne organised crime group, the Dublin branch of the Kinahan gang.
- The Criminal Assets Bureau confiscated and sold two of Smith's houses in Leitrim for over a quarter of a million euro.
- Smith was caught in 2013 running a growhouse in Courtown, Wexford, and received a suspended seven-year sentence, and he is said to have set up and run growhouses in Wexford and Dublin.
- In court
- Smith pleaded guilty only after a jury was sworn at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
- Judge Jonathan Dunphy described Smith as an experienced cultivator who was trusted to work in the drugs cultivation operation.
- Sentence
- Smith was sentenced to seven years in prison with the final year suspended, though the lede and some reports give the sentence as six years.
15 statements extracted from the articles
- 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 growhouse raided by gardaí was in Tallaght. (rte.ie)
- whenThe Tallaght growhouse was raided in May 2023. (rte.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)
- 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)
- sentenceSmith was sentenced to seven years in prison with the final year suspended. (rte.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- 12 Mar2026Taxi 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