Ireland Case No. 7694Drug trafficking · Co. Dublin
Two men arrested after €1.63m of cocaine and cannabis seized in north Dublin
Gardaí from the Dublin Crime Response Team searched premises and two DHL vans in north Dublin on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 August 2023, seizing cocaine and cannabis valued at about €1.63 million. Two men were arrested and charged: Luke Kelly, aged 53, and Declan Mooney, aged 41, who was accused of possessing drugs in a DHL van at Ardlea Road, Artane. Both appeared before Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court on Monday 7 August 2023, where Kelly made no reply to the charges and Mooney was remanded in custody with consent to bail pending a surety. The latest development is that Judge Finan granted Kelly bail on conditions, and he is due back in court on 27 October.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested5 Aug
3 reports - Charged5 Aug
2 reports - In court7 Aug
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Gardaí seized cocaine estimated at €910,000 and cannabis herb valued at €720,000, a combined total of about €1.63 million.
- Gardaí reportedly found about 6kg of cannabis in the back of a van and 1kg on the passenger seat with a tick list, and the allegations are unproven.
- Where
- The searches were carried out at premises in the North Dublin area, including a house at Ardbeg Park, Artane, searched in the presence of Kelly's mother.
- When
- The searches took place on Friday 4 August and Saturday 5 August 2023.
- Cause
- A court heard that the courier allegedly used a DHL delivery van as a front to distribute drugs around the country.
- Investigation
- Dublin Crime Response Team gardaí searched two DHL vans and a residential property over two days, and the seized drugs were sent to FSI for further analysis.
- Gardaí reported packages in a shed including 13kg of cocaine and 31kg of cannabis worth €1.53 million in total, while other reports give the combined seizure as €1.63 million or more than €1.6 million, and a court report cited €1.5 million.
- Gardaí said investigations are still ongoing.
- Charges
- Luke Kelly, aged 53, was charged with possessing drugs for sale or supply.
- Declan Mooney, aged 41, was arrested on the Saturday and was accused of possessing €100,000 worth of cannabis and €500 of cocaine in a DHL van at Ardlea Road, Artane.
- Both men were charged and detained at Garda stations in Dublin under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.
- In court
- The garda statement said both men were due at Court 2 of the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin at 10:30am on Monday 7 August 2023, while a court report said they appeared at Dublin District Court on that Monday.
- Kelly made no reply when the charges were put to him before Judge Michele Finan.
- Judge Finan remanded Mooney in custody with consent to bail, pending court approval of a surety.
- Judge Finan granted Kelly bail on conditions and he is due back in court on 27 October.
46 statements extracted from the articles
- whatGardaí seized approximately €1.63 million of cocaine and cannabis. (garda.ie)
- whatCocaine estimated to be worth €910,000 was seized. (garda.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- whatCannabis herb valued at €720,000 was seized. (garda.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- whatTwo men were arrested after gardaí seized drugs worth €1.63m in north Dublin. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe combined seizure totalled €1.63m worth of drugs. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatTwo men have been charged over the seizure of about €1.63 million of cocaine and cannabis. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatLuke Kelly was charged with possessing drugs for sale or supply. (irishtimes.com)
- whatGardaí seized drugs worth more than €1.6 million and arrested two men. (irishtimes.com)
- whatAbout 6kg of cannabis was allegedly found in the back of the van, and 1kg more was on the passenger seat with a tick list. (irishtimes.com)
- whatGardaí found packages in a shed including 13kg of cocaine and 31kg of cannabis, worth €1.53 million in total. (irishtimes.com)
- whatTwo men were arrested after €1.63m worth of drugs were seized. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatGardaí seized cocaine worth €910,000 and cannabis worth €720,000. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe drugs were seized in North Dublin. (garda.ie)
- whereThe searches were carried out in the North Dublin area. (dublinlive.ie)
- whereThe searches took place in North Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereA house at Ardbeg Park was searched in the presence of Kelly's mother. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe arrests followed searches at premises in north Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe seizure took place on Friday 4 August and Saturday 5 August 2023. (garda.ie)
- whenThe searches took place on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 August 2023. (garda.ie)
- whenGardaí carried out searches on Friday 4 August and Saturday 5 August 2023. (dublinlive.ie)
- whenThe two men were arrested on Friday and Saturday. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenSearches took place on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 August 2023. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe courier allegedly used a DHL delivery van as a front to distribute drugs. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe seizure was carried out by Gardaí from the Dublin Crime Response Team. (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí from the Dublin Crime Response Team conducted a number of searches in north Dublin. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe seized drugs will be sent to FSI for further analysis. (garda.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- investigationA man in his 40s and a man in his 50s have been arrested as part of the investigation. (garda.ie)
- investigationA man in his 40s and a man in his 50s were arrested as part of the investigation. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationGardaí found cocaine worth €910,000 and cannabis worth €720,000 during the searches. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe drugs were sent for further analysis. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationDublin Crime Response Team gardaí searched two DHL vans and a residential property over two days. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe seized drugs will be sent for further analysis. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí said investigations are still ongoing. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeBoth men arrested in the investigation have been charged. (garda.ie)
- chargeThe two men were detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeGardaí arrested a second defendant, Declan Mooney, aged 41, on the Saturday. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeMooney was accused of possessing €100,000 worth of cannabis and €500 of cocaine in another DHL van at Ardlea Road, Artane. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeBoth men are detained at Garda stations in Dublin under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe two men are expected to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin, Court 2, at 10:30am on Monday 7 August 2023. (garda.ie)
- courtThe two men were due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin, on Monday, August 7. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtKelly appeared before Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court on a Monday and made no reply to the charges. (irishtimes.com)
- courtJudge Finan remanded Mooney in custody with consent to bail, pending court approval of a surety. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceJudge Finan granted Kelly bail on conditions and he is due back in court on October 27th. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe two men are detained at Garda stations in Dublin under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. (garda.ie)
- otherInvestigations are ongoing. (garda.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- otherThe two men were detained at Garda stations in Dublin under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. (dublinlive.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 8 Aug2023Two men arrested as gardai seize €1.63m of cocaine and cannabis in Dublin
No matching existing case. Reports a seizure of €1.63m in drugs during searches in north Dublin on 4 and 5 August 2023, and the arrest of two men aged in their 40s and 50s.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 50s, male - 7 Aug2023Man used DHL van as ‘front’ to distribute drugs around the country
Court appearance of Luke Kelly and Declan Mooney at Dublin District Court, with the details of the seizures and bail and remand decisions.
accused, Luke Kelly, 53, male, named, irish (judged from name)Luke Kellyaccused, Declan Mooney, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)Declan Mooney - 7 Aug2023Two men due in court following massive drugs haul over weekend
Reports the charges against the two men, their ages, the Garda unit involved, the drugs' values and the court appearance date.
accused, 40s, maleaccused, 50s, male - 6 Aug2023Drugs worth €1.63m seized as two men arrested in massive north Dublin raid
Reports a single Dublin Crime Response Team investigation with searches on 4 and 5 August 2023, a combined €1.63m drugs seizure and two arrests. No existing case matches these details.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 50s, male - 5 Aug2023Two Arrests and €1.63m Combined Drugs Seized, North Dublin 4th and 5th August 2023
Official garda.ie press release that gives the separate values of the cocaine and cannabis seized, the detention under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, and that the drugs will go for further analysis.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 50s, male - 5 Aug2023Update - Two Arrests and €1.63m Combined Drugs Seized, North Dublin, 4th and 5th August 2023
Gardaí confirm both men arrested in the case have been charged and state they are due in court on 7 August 2023 at Court 2 of the Criminal Courts of Justice.
accused, 40s, maleaccused, 50s, male