Ireland Named in reporting
James Leen
Born 1983, from the ages reported. 24 reports across 3 cases, 23 Feb 2024 to 27 Oct 2026
Key facts
from every report naming them- Named as
- Accused
- Born
- 1983, from the ages reported
- Offences
- Importation of drugs, Importation of controlled drugs (crystal meth), Facilitating the activities of a criminal organisation, Importation of controlled drugs, Facilitating a criminal organisation, Unpaid income tax
- Where
- Co. Cork, Co. Kerry
- Reporting
- 24 reports, 23 Feb 2024 to 27 Oct 2026
- Outlets
- irishmirror.ie, gript.ie, irishtimes.com, thejournal.ie, rte.ie
Photographs
as published, with the outlet's credit
Images are shown from the outlet that published them and link back to the article. Copyright stays with the credited photographer or agency.
Cases
latest first- Kerry man pleads not guilty to drug importation at Cork Port Importation of drugs · Co. Cork
Gardaí and Revenue officers seized 546kg of crystal meth, confirmed by Gardaí, with an estimated value of €32.8 million from a container at Cork Port, Ringaskiddy, on 16 February 2024. The drugs were believed to have been imported from Mexico on 16 October 2023 and destined for Australia, and were linked to the Sinaloa cartel. Nathan McDonnell, a 44-year-old Irish man, and James Leen, a 43-year-old Irish man from Kilmorna, Listowel, Co Kerry, were arrested in follow-up searches in Cork and Kerry and charged in connection with the seizure. McDonnell pleaded guilty to drug importation and facilitating a criminal organisation before the Special Criminal Court on 14 October 2024 and was remanded for sentencing on 17 December. Leen pleaded not guilty to five charges, including directing a criminal organisation and importing methylamphetamine, at the Special Criminal Court on 27 October 2026, with his trial set for 9 November 2026.
Convicted, 14 Oct 2024Accused · 7 reports - Kerry man sentenced to 12 years over €32m crystal meth importation Importation of controlled drugs (crystal meth) · Co. Kerry
Nathan McDonnell, a 44-year-old man and former chief executive of Ballyseedy Garden Centre in Tralee, Co Kerry, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Special Criminal Court on 28 February 2025 for importing 564kg of crystal meth worth €32.4 million at Cork Port on 16 October 2023 and facilitating the activities of a criminal organisation linked to the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel. The drugs were hidden in a metal separating machine stored at his garden centre for several months before being loaded into a container at Cork Port, where customs officers discovered them on 15 February 2024. Gardaí had been investigating the organised criminal group for over a year following a raid on a Listowel property in June 2023, and McDonnell was arrested at Ballyseedy Garden Centre in February 2024. He pleaded guilty in October 2024, and his solicitor confirmed he will not appeal the sentence.
Sentenced, 28 Feb 2025Accused · 2 reports - Kerry man jailed for 12 years over record crystal meth importation Importation of controlled drugs · Co. Kerry
Customs officers found 543kg of crystal meth worth an estimated €32.8 million in a container at Cork Port on 16 October 2023. The drugs, shipped from Mexico, were stored at Ballyseedy Garden Centre in Tralee, Co Kerry, before being transported for export to Australia. Nathan McDonnell, 44, of Ballyroe, Tralee, who ran the garden centre, and James Leen, 41, of Listowel, were arrested and charged with drug importation and organised crime offences. McDonnell pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court in October 2024 and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. In December 2025, the High Court appointed a receiver over half the net proceeds of the sale of his €795,000 family home to recover unpaid tax.
Convicted, 14 Oct 2024Accused · 15 reports
Timeline
every report naming James Leen, newest firstEach entry shows how that report described them.
- 27 Oct2026Kerry man charged over Ireland's biggest crystal meth seizure pleads not guiltyaccused, James Leen, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 27 Oct2026Kerryman pleads not guilty to crystal meth seizure chargesaccused, James Leen, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 6 Oct2026Trial of Kerry man delayed over data handling legal row - Griptaccused, James Leen, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 10 Feb2025Gang behind Co Kerry €32m crystal meth plot linked to Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, Special Criminal Court hearsaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 14 Oct2024Kerry businessman pleads guilty to two charges over record-breaking crystal meth haulaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 14 Oct2024Businessman pleads guilty to drug importation and facilitating criminal gang in relation to record crystal meth haulaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 14 Oct2024Businessman pleads guilty over Cork crystal meth seizureaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 30 Jul2024Special Criminal Court to hear drugs seizure caseaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 29 Jul2024Man charged over largest ever crystal meth seizure 'has grasped the nettle'accused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 29 Jul2024Pair to face drugs trial in Special Criminal Courtaccused, James Leen, 41, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 17 Jul2024Two charged over State’s largest every crystal meth seizure also charged with directing criminal organisationaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 3 Jul2024Two Kerry men charged with the biggest ever seizure of crystal meth in the State to appear before the courtaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 12 Apr2024Kerry man described as 'logistics figure' in crystal meth haul case refused bail over flight riskaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 12 Apr2024Man charged over €32m Ballyseedy Garden Centre crystal meth haul refused bail due to flight riskaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 10 Apr2024Men accused over Ballyseedy Garden Centre crystal meth haul further remanded in custodyaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 28 Mar2024'Complex' bail bid by Kerry man charged over crystal meth seizure stallsaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 26 Mar2024Kerry businessman charged over meth seizure denied bailaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 26 Mar2024Kerry businessman charged over huge crystal meth seizure is denied bailaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 26 Mar2024Kerry businessman denied bail in €32m crystal meth haul caseaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 22 Mar2024Father of businessman charged over crystal meth seizure offers €100,000 bailaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 14 Mar2024Bail hearing for two charged over €32.8m crystal meth seizure adjournedaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 13 Mar2024Two men further remanded over Co Kerry crystal meth seizureaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 28 Feb2024Two men further remanded over crystal meth seizure at Ballyseedy Garden Centreaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
- 23 Feb2024Two men charged over seizure of €33m worth of crystal meth in Cork last weekaccused, James Leen, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Leen
Matched on the name as printed, ignoring quoted nicknames, and split by the ages reported. Two people who share a name and age would appear together here.