Tipperary court told gardaí confronted by two men armed with implements during drugs raid

A man who was regarded as a “small cog” in the drugs world received a suspended prison sentence at Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court over the seizure of more than €7,000 worth of cannabis in Roscrea.

The court heard that gardaí executed a search warrant at Rosemary Square, Roscrea, on February 13, 2021 which involved members of the Tipperary Divisional Drugs Unit, as well as the Limerick-based Dog Unit.

The subject premises consisted of a number of different apartments, one of which was locked. The occupants refused to open the door.

The gardaí forced entry and detected a strong smell of cannabis.

They found two males inside, one of whom armed himself with a leg of furniture, the other with the handle of a vacuum cleaner. The gardaí ordered the men to drop these weapons and they complied.

A search of the apartment uncovered a number of quantities of herbal cannabis, as well as weighing scales, a grinder, and associated drug paraphernalia.

In total, 362.8g of cannabis was found with a valuation of €7,256.

The gardaí also found a quantity of white powder, which, on analysis, was found to constitute benzocaine, a mixing agent that the court heard was not a controlled substance, though buyers of the drug were “sometimes fooled into thinking it's cocaine”.

Nicholas Bogdan, with an address at Camross, county Laois, was one of the two men found at the scene.

The court was told that the other individual had most likely fled the country and a warrant had been issued for his arrest.

Cian Kelly, BL, for Mr Bogdan, submitted that his client was not making profit from his involvement in the drugs trade.

Sgt Niall Tobin agreed that the gardaí found “no evidence of a luxurious lifestyle” where the defendant was concerned.

He regarded Mr Bogdan as a “small cog in that machine” and said other suspects had been involved at a much higher level.

Mr Kelly stated that the defendant had lived at the apartment in Roscrea for only a couple of weeks before the seizure. He had previously lived in Stamullen, county Meath.

His friend, the co-accused, had “lured” Mr Bogdan to the Roscrea area to take part in the drugs enterprise.

The co-accused, whom Mr Kelly described as the “player”, had fled following the seizure, and “other, more senior people also fled this jurisdiction. Essentially, he’s left holding the can,” counsel said.

Mr Bogdan had a partner and a two-month-old child. He was working at a shop in Camross.

He had honoured the conditions of his bail since the offence and he did not have any drug problems, Mr Kelly said, asking the court not to impose a custodial sentence.

Judge Catherine Staines also noted the defendant’s co-operation with the gardaí and his early plea.

She imposed a two-year prison sentence but suspended the sentence for two years on condition that Mr Bogdan entered a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.