Prison sentence for fitness instructor who transported drugs worth €4m in rental van

A 27-year-old fitness instructor has been jailed for six-and-a-half years for transporting almost €4 million worth of cannabis from Cavan to Dublin.

The Dubliner, who had no previous convictions, agreed to drive a hired van for the round trip after experiencing financial problems. The court heard he had no idea of the amount of drugs involved.

Jamie Smith, of Corbaliss Cottages in Donabate, Dublin pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis on May 26, 2023 in the Balbriggan area of north Dublin.

Detective Garda Gavin O’Gara told the court that, as part of an intelligence-led operation, they received information that a van and an occupant were to be involved in the collection of drugs that day.

Surveillance was organised and Smith was seen collecting a rented van from a gym in Jamestown Business Park in Finglas. He headed towards the M3 and travelled to Cavan, where he parked outside a pub.

He got out of the van and spoke to another person, who got into the van and drove away. Smith walked to a nearby petrol station, where he spent about 30 minutes before returning to the van and driving back towards Dublin on back roads.

He was stopped by gardai when he rejoined the main road near Balbriggan. A phone was seized from him, which showed he had been in communication with someone regarding the goods in the vehicle and his route back to Dublin.

He was arrested and, during interview, he spoke about his outgoings and that he couldn’t do personal training at the time.

“I got offered this, to drive the van, a one-off payment,” he said. “My job is what I love, helping people lose weight. I was just stupid. Have a look on my Instagram: JS Fitness.”

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Detective Garda O’Gara said that 186 kilos of cannabis herb and 291 solid bars of cannabis resin were found in the back of the van. They had a value of just under €3.9 million.

Under cross examination by the defence, the detective said that in his own opinion, Smith was not controlling the whole operation. 

Defence counsel told Judge Martin Nolan that his client had found himself in difficult financial circumstances, and would not have had any idea of the amount of drugs involved.

He also said that Smith has ADHD, and that this would have caused him to have a degree of impulsivity and lack of self-regulation, beyond which other people would have.

Judge Nolan said he was satisfied that he could depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in this case, due to Smith’s cooperation and early plea. 

He noted that he had a good work history, and agreed with Smith’s probation officer that he was unlikely to reoffend. 

“It seems he’s a likeable man. I have many, many letters on his behalf before me,” he said, before imposing a sentence of six and a half years. “I think that’s the most lenient I can be,” said the judge.

Smith and a number of his supporters became emotional as he was led away to begin his sentence.