A homeless man ‘betrayed the trust’ of a friend who gave him a place to stay when he imported cannabis worth €119,000 to the friend’s home in Loughrea, a court has heard.

Garda Sheena Gill told Galway Circuit Court that as part of an operation by customs officers and the local divisional drugs unit, members of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau carried out a controlled delivery of drugs to a property at Lagoo, Kylebrack, Loughrea on June 21, 2024.

The court heard Krystian Swiatek (27) took possession of two packages that were later recovered by Gardaí during a search of an upstairs bedroom.

Garda Gill said the packages were addressed to Swiatek who admitted ownership and told Gardaí someone asked him to get the drugs addressed to where he was staying.

Swiatek, with a previous address at Salmon Weir Hostel, St Vincent’s Avenue, Woodquay, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs and possession of drugs for sale or supply contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act.

He further admitted possession of the drugs for sale or supply at a time when the market value amounted to €13,000 or more, contrary to Section 15 (a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act. He also pleaded guilty to the importation of drugs act a time when value amounted to €13,000 or more.

Garda Gill said the accused cooperated with Gardaí and has three previous convictions including for assault and possession of drugs for sale or supply.

She agreed with defence barrister, Garry McDonald BL, that importing drugs with your name on the package was not the “most covert or organised” way of doing things and it was fair to say there was someone else involved.

“I don’t think he was the brains (behind this)”, Garda Gill added.

Mr McDonald told the court his client was a heavy drinker and drug user at the time, homeless and couch surfing and was offered a place to stay in Loughrea by a friend.

He asked the court to take into account that this was “not the most professional operation and 101 in how not to import drugs”.

He said his client entered signed pleas of guilty and “held his hands up from the word go”.

Judge Brian O’Callaghan said the accused visited all this on a friend who gave him a place to stay when he was homeless.

“He betrayed that trust his friend had shown”, he added.

He said reports before the court show Swiatek has minimal “appreciation” of his offending and that the accused had been addicted to cocaine every day for weeks on end prior to this detection.

He said the value of the drugs was an aggravating factor and drug dealing visits “death, destruction and mayhem” on communities.

The court also took into account the accused’s guilty pleas, remorse and work ethic.

On the Section 15 (a) charge, Judge O’Callaghan imposed a final sentence of three years in prison, backdated to March 2025.

Funded by Courts Reporting Scheme.

Pictured: Galway Courthouse.