Man (67) jailed for his role in distributing drugs and cash for criminals
Sonya McLean
A man who got involved in the distribution of cash and drugs for criminals following his retirement has been jailed for five years.
Stephen Connolly (67) of Hampton Wood Drive, Finglas, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having a kilogramme of cocaine, with a street value of €70,000 and having €129,930, knowing it to be the proceeds of crime on February 7th 2025.
Detective Garda Lorrainne Brennan told Aideen Collard BL, prosecuting, that confidential information in relation to the movement of cash and controlled drugs led to a surveillance operation being put in place on the movements of Connolly’s Citroen Berlingo van and also his rented apartment in Dublin.
The van was stopped just before 9 pm on the Oscar Traynor Road in Coolock.
It was being driven by Connolly, and he immediately indicated to gardaí that they would find something under the driver’s seat of the van.
The drugs were later found there.
He also admitted that they would find cash in his bedroom, and when asked by officers where exactly the cash could be found, Connolly replied, “You can’t miss it”.
The cash was discovered in a follow-up search of the apartment. He was arrested and interviewed but made no admissions.
Det Gda Brennan said Connolly also had two phones on him, but he refused to grant access to them.
One of the phones was ultimately analysed, and it was discovered that Connolly had enabled a disappearing messages feature on WhatsApp.
However, gardaí were able to retrieve conversations from February 5th 2025, to February 7th 2025 in relation to the movement of both money and drugs, with references being made to “bits”, “tickets” and “tokens”.
Det Gda Brennan confirmed that the term “bits” is used by criminals when referring to kilogrammes in relation to drug trafficking and both “tickets” and “tokens” were references to money.
She confirmed that Connolly had been working up until February 2024 and only had previous convictions for minor road traffic offences.
Det Gda Brennan agreed with Garrett McCormack SC, defending, that when cautioned Connolly immediately pointed out where the drugs could be found in his van.
She further accepted that Connolly, who celebrated his 67th birthday earlier this week, has not come to garda attention since his arrest.
She acknowledged that he was not living the “high life”, but she said the evidence supported gardaí’s belief that Connolly was “engaged in moving drugs and money on behalf of others”.
McCormack said his client experienced financial difficulties when he was forced to retire in 2024, and he got involved in this offence to make money to support himself and his family.
Judge Orla Crowe said “excellent intelligence” from the gardaí led to Connolly’s arrest, and that “messages of interest” on his phone confirmed that it was his job to store and distribute cash and drugs.
She said she had no option but to impose a custodial sentence, as she said Connolly was actively involved in a drug trafficking operation.
“It was at a trusted level. There is no suggestion of threats or duress or addiction – he was doing it for gain and he was not at a lower level,” Judge Crowe said.
She acknowledged that Connolly made immediate admissions, was not on the garda radar and had no obvious trappings of wealth.
Judge Crowe also accepted that he had lived a pro-social life up until his retirement, and references before the court indicated that he had helped people in his local community.
She said it was a “calculated and deliberate offence” and Connolly was somebody who was trusted to hold drugs and a considerable amount of cash before she imposed a five-year jail term.
