Courts / Dublin / Report

Language student agree to transport cocaine to pay college fees

Summary

Lucas Lima, a 25‑year‑old Brazilian language student, admitted to transporting a bag of cocaine from Spain to Dublin to raise money for college fees. He was offered between €1,000 and €3,000 to carry €139,650 worth of cocaine. At Dublin Airport on 11 January 2016, customs officials, using profiling techniques, stopped him and discovered three plastic bottles in a second suitcase; the lids were glued and the contents were cocaine. Lima had returned from a two‑day trip to Barcelona and had an extra suitcase. He claimed that a Brazilian acquaintance, aware of his financial difficulties, offered the money if he completed the delivery. Garda Kevin Nolan said Lima knew he was carrying illicit goods and was aware of the risk. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned sentencing to a Thursday, stating she needed time to consider her verdict. The defence argued the offence was out of character and that Lima would leave Ireland and never return.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Language student agree to transport cocaine to pay college fees. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• January 11, 2016 Incident
• 2016-06-21 Publication

Why: An English language student agreed to transport cocaine because he needed money to pay college fees, a court has heard. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Hearing Or Decision

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Read the original CNI report