Man caught dealing heroin on a bridge in Cork City gets six months
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A 38-year-old man dealing heroin on a bridge in Cork City swallowed packets of the drug when gardaí approached him to carry out a search.
Aleksandras Kuznecovas of Lord Edward Street, Kilmallock, Limerick, appeared before Judge Mary Dorgan at Cork District Court and pleaded guilty to the drugs charges against him.
Sergeant Dave Delea stated that at midday on September 24, 2021, gardaí on patrol at St Vincent’s Bridge in Cork saw him standing in the middle of the bridge and taking numerous small plastic packs from inside his mouth and holding them in the palm of his hand.
“As soon as Mr Kuznecovas took the items from his mouth, approximately five to six people gathered around him and he began to hand the plastic packs to them while they were in the process of giving him money in return.
“Gardaí approached and said he was going to be searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act. He immediately began swallowing vigorously and all attempts to retrieve the items he was swallowing proved unsuccessful.
Sgt Delea said: “Garda Derry O’Brien began to search a satchel bag over his shoulder where there was a large plastic bag containing suspected Diamorphine.
The street value of the heroin in his bag was €430. He had a previous conviction for drug dealing and several counts of having drugs for his own use.
Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, said: “This goes back to September 24, 2021. He is a 38-year-old man from Lithuania who has been in Ireland for five years. He came here on the promise of employment.
"When he arrived he was given accommodation in Kilmallock in Limerick but employment was not available to him. He ended up getting involved in taking heroin himself and he started trying to pay off debts by getting involved in this behaviour.”
Judge Mary Dorgan said she had to take into consideration that he was actively dealing drugs and she imposed a six-month jail term.