Criminal caught in middle of cannabis jelly factory is jailed

A man arrested during a garda raid on a Dublin apartment in November 2022 has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. David Thomas, aged 42, of Glenties Drive, Finglas, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession with intent to supply cannabis jellies and unlawful cultivation of cannabis. Gardaí discovered approximately 1,500 cannabis jellies with an estimated street value of €43,000 being dried in a kitchen, along with growing equipment and cannabis plants valued at around €7,000. A bedroom had been converted into a grow-house with insulated walls and spraying systems, while an upstairs hot press served as a nursery for younger plants. Thomas's case reached the Supreme Court after the State successfully appealed a decision to dismiss certain charges. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed the sentence after considering aggravating and mitigating factors, suspending the final six months on condition of good behaviour. A co-accused with a greater role in the operation was sentenced separately in 2024. A third man arrested remains before the courts.