MAN JAILED FOR IMPORT OF ECSTASY

A long-distance truck driver has been jailed for 10 years for importing
pounds 1.5 million worth of ecstasy into Dublin Port. Judge Frank O'Donnell
in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court said he hoped the message would go out to
long-distance drivers around Europe that Ireland was not a soft target for
drug trafficking.

Declan Donaghy (27), of Parkview, Newtowncloughoge, Newry, Co Down, was
convicted last March of importing 100,000 ecstasy tablets on April 29th,
1998, and of having them for sale or supply on Santry Avenue on the same
day. British police had spotted Donaghy loading the drugs into his truck at
a lay-by near London.

During the trial, Donaghy had made claims that gardai had lied and had
forced him to undergo a strip search. Judge O'Donnell said neither he nor
the jury believed this story. In this case, the highest commendation should
be paid to gardai involved.

Judge O'Donnell backdated sentence to Donaghy's arrest date on April 29th.