Ireland Two men caught unloading €2.3m cannabis hidden under frozen chicken in Kilmainham, Dublin
Two English men, Daniel Bowker (40) of Bolton, UK and Ibrar Sharif (47), were arrested in Dublin three days before Christmas 2022, after two men were found unloading cannabis hidden under frozen chicken at Kilmainham, Dublin 8, on December 22nd 2022. Gardaí had run a surveillance operation and later seized 119 kilos of cannabis from a Kilmainham house, and the men have been held in Cloverhill Prison since their arrest. Both men pleaded guilty in the District Court to possessing €2.364 million worth of cannabis for sale or supply. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case to October 9th for finalisation, with education and prison governor's reports ordered, and the men will be sentenced later at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Convicted21 Jul
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Two men were found unloading cannabis concealed under a consignment of frozen chicken.
- Where
- The offence took place at Kilmainham, Dublin 8.
- When
- The offence took place on December 22nd 2022, and the men were arrested in Dublin three days before Christmas 2022.
- Other details
- The men are Daniel Bowker, an English man aged 40 of Bolton, UK, and Ibrar Sharif, an English man aged 47 with an address in Bolton.
- Bowker admitted driving the boxes to the Kilmainham address but initially said he did not know what was in them.
- The men told gardaí they had been trying to gather money to buy presents for their families.
- The men have been held in Cloverhill Prison since their arrest.
- The garda agreed the men were co-operative, both had long-standing alcohol problems, and they were at the lower end of an organised crime gang used to courier drugs.
- Bowker has five previous UK convictions for minor offences.
- Investigation
- Gardaí ran a surveillance operation after receiving confidential information about an expected drugs delivery.
- Gardaí searched a house in Kilmainham and seized 12 cardboard boxes containing 119 kilos of cannabis.
- Charges
- Both men entered signed guilty pleas in the District Court to possessing €2.364 million worth of cannabis for sale or supply.
- In court
- Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case to October 9th for finalisation and ordered an education report and a prison governor's report.
- Sentence
- The men will be sentenced later at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
15 statements extracted from the articles
- whatTwo men were caught unloading cannabis concealed under a consignment of frozen chicken. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe offence took place at Kilmainham, Dublin 8. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe men were arrested in Dublin three days before Christmas 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí ran a surveillance operation after receiving confidential information about an expected drugs delivery. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí searched a house in Kilmainham and seized 12 cardboard boxes containing 119 kilos of cannabis. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe men pleaded guilty to possessing €2.364 million worth of cannabis for sale or supply. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe men entered signed pleas in the District Court. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe men will be sentenced later at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
- courtJudge Orla Crowe adjourned the case for finalisation on October 9th. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge ordered an education report and a prison governor's report. (irishtimes.com)
- otherBowker admitted driving boxes to the Kilmainham address but initially said he did not know what was in them. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe men had been in custody in Cloverhill Prison since their arrest. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe garda agreed the men were co-operative and both had long-standing alcohol problems. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe garda agreed the men were at the lower end of an organised crime gang and had been used to courier drugs. (irishtimes.com)
- otherBowker has five previous UK convictions for minor offences. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 21 Jul2023Men caught unloading €2.3m worth of cannabis hidden under frozen chicken to be sentenced later
Reports the men's guilty pleas, the court adjournment to October 9th, and the Circuit Court sentencing hearing. Adds mitigation, Bowker's prior UK convictions and the garda's view of their role in the gang.
convicted, Daniel Bowker, 40, male, English, named, non-irishDaniel Bowkerconvicted, Ibrar Sharif, 47, male, English, named, non-irishIbrar Sharif