SEE COURT CASE
LIZARDS, SNAKES AND TARANTULAS DISCOVERED BY GARDAÍ AFTER A ‘GROW HOUSE’ IS BUSTED IN RURAL COUNTY SLIGO
A menagerie of pets including lizards, snakes and tarantulas was found in a cannabis grow house in Cloonloo last year, along with €32,000 worth of the drug, a court has heard.
At the sentencing hearing of three polish nationals, Sligo Circuit Court heard the grow house at Seefin, Cloonloo had an elaborate lighting system for the tropical species, along with 250 cannabis plants, and harvested cannabis.
Marek Tomiczek (35) who is currently serving a prison sentence, Marcin Florczak (35) with an address in Cloonloo and Magda Kowalska (35) of St Patrick’s Terrace appeared in court each charged with cultivation of cannabis and possession of cannabis for sale or supply. The two men and woman previously entered guilty pleas for each charge.
On March 7 th last a warrant was executed at the house. Sergeant Cathal Duffy told the court he met Florczak at the house, while Kowalska and
Tomiczek were located in a shed adjacent to the house. Tomiczek initially gave a false name, however, after fingerprints were analysed via Interpol his true identity was discovered and it was found there was a European arrest warrant in existence for him.
Two plastic containers full of harvested cannabis were discovered valued at €32,094. Two hundred and fifty cannabis plants were also found, at various stages of growth. The court was told the potential value of the plants was €200,000 when fully grown and harvested.
During interview Tomiczek accepted responsibility and said he had bought equipment in Galway, Dublin and on the internet. He also admitting to doing the wiring work for the lighting system in the house.
Kowalska also admitted her involvement and said her job was to mind the plants. She told gardaí she had debts in Poland that needed to be paid.
It was heard she does not drink or take drugs. Her then partner, Florczak, said his role was to ‘ keep everything going’. He lived at the house with Kowalska at the time, while Tomiczek resided at an address in Athlone. Tomiczek was sentenced to eight months in prison in December for the use of a false instrument.
He had a number of previous convictions, including a public order offence and is due to serve a three year prison sentence in Poland for damaging property, theft and stealing a document to be another person.
An extradition warrant has been confirmed awaiting sentencing of these matters the court was told.
Ms Eileen O’Leary, BL, representing Tomiczek, said her client had no ‘ trappings of wealth’, which Sgt Duffy agreed with. She told the court her client was a qualified landscape gardener and previously developed a cocaine habit but has been clean two years.
She said Tomiczek was doing well in prison, taking English and cooking classes and he was at the bottom of the ring in relation to the operation.
Ms Dara Foynes, SC, representing Florzak, said her client had referred to a person higher up the operative chain when interviewed by gardaí.
She said the pets found at the house belonged to him and she said her client was visibly stressed for their well-being while in custody, which the sergeant confirmed.
In relation to the value of the cannabis plants, Ms Foynes outlined that only when the plants were fully grown could the exact value be determined, as it is only the female plants that are valuable.
She said her client was a talented photographer and has a job prospect to work with his sister in Portugal.
She told the court he could also get his former partner, Kowalska, a job there too.
Referring to Kowalska, Ms Foynes described the woman as ‘naive and innocent’ and said the matters had taken a huge mental strain on her.
Kowalska has not been able to tell her family in Poland about the court matters.
She got involved in the operation purely to send money to Poland to pay her bank debt.
Ms Foynes told the court her clients were not the ‘Pablo Escobars of the operation’ and asked Judge Francis Comerford to consider imposing a suspended sentence for the man and woman to allow them both take up employment in Portugal.
Judge Comerford adjourned the matter to this Friday for sentencing.