Fitness Instructor who 'loved helping people lose weight' jailed for moving weight

A 27-year-old fitness instructor from Donabate has been sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his conviction for drug trafficking. The man pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis on 26 May 2023 in the Balbriggan area of North Dublin. An intelligence-led garda operation led to his arrest after he collected a hired van from a gym in Finglas and travelled to Cavan, where he collected drugs before being stopped by gardaí near Balbriggan on his return journey. Approximately 186 kilograms of cannabis herb and 291 bars of cannabis resin, valued at just under €3.9 million, were recovered from the vehicle. The defendant, who had no previous convictions, told gardaí he had experienced financial difficulties and accepted a one-off payment to transport the van, claiming ignorance of the quantity involved. Judge Martin Nolan departed from the mandatory minimum ten-year sentence, citing the defendant's early plea, cooperation, employment history, and low likelihood of reoffending.