Clondalkin man faces non-jury trial over alleged cocaine smuggling operation
A 48-year-old man from west Dublin will be tried by the Special Criminal Court on accusations he led a criminal group that smuggled cocaine through Wexford port and laundered substantial cash sums.
Clondalkin man faces non-jury trial over alleged cocaine smuggling operation
A 48-year-old from west Dublin is to be tried by the Special Criminal Court on accusations he masterminded a criminal group involved in bringing cocaine into Ireland and cleaning the profits.
Brian Grendon, residing at Greenfort Drive in Clondalkin, faces twelve separate counts connected to incidents during 2024. Two associates will also face the non-jury court: Noel Smyth (63) from Kilanerin near Gorey in Wexford, and Paul Kelly (55) from Cloverhill Road in Ballyfermot.
The prosecution made a one-sided application on Monday for the trio to be sent forward from the lower court, where the case had been building since May.
Investigators claim Grendon orchestrated three batches of cocaine arriving at Rosslare Europort in Wexford across August and September last year. He is also accused of stockpiling the substance for onward sale during the same timeframe.
Separate allegations involve two large cash seizures — €230,000 and €22,220 — which authorities say Grendon handled in mid-September 2024, either knowing or being careless about whether the funds stemmed from unlawful conduct.
Smyth and Kelly are accused of aiding the group's activities throughout August and September 2024. Both allegedly stored cocaine for distribution at the Wexford port facility during overlapping periods last autumn.
Kelly faces an extra count involving over €13,000 worth of cocaine held for sale. Smyth is separately accused of bringing in the drug on two occasions.
The pair also face a joint charge of holding €22,220 in suspected criminal proceeds on September 16th last year.
Judge Caroline Biggs, alongside colleagues Sarah Berkeley and Fiona Lydon, approved the transfer to the Special Criminal Court. Proceedings will resume on June 29th.
Source: The Irish Times
Source: Irish Times