A well-known Kerry businessman has pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the biggest crystal meth seizure in the history of the State.
Nathan McDonnell, former chief executive of Ballyseedy Restaurant Ltd in Tralee, pleaded guilty to drug importation into the Port of Cork and to assisting or facilitating a criminal gang to import methamphetamine — more commonly known as crystal meth.
Mr McDonnell was further remanded in custody by Justice Tony Hunt until his sentencing hearing, now set for December 17. Wearing a white shirt and dark tie, hair gelled neatly back from his face, McDonnell pleaded guilty to the two charges.
Some €33m worth of crystal meth (546kg) was found concealed in an industrial machine bound for export to Australia on February 15. Gardaà and Revenue officials found the drugs during a search of a shipping container at the Port of Cork in Ringaskiddy.
At follow-up searches in Tralee, Mr McDonnell and his co-accused, James Leen, were arrested and later charged in connection with the historic seizure of methamphetamine. Both men appeared before Justice Hunt, Judge Martin Nolan and Judge Grainne Malone at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Monday.
A court previously heard how a purpose-built electromagnetic separator machine had concealed more than half a tonne of crystal meth in a highly sophisticated manner. This machine had been shipped from Mexico and had been stored in Ballyseedy Garden Centre in Tralee since October, a court previously heard.
Mr McDonnell had previously admitted to gardaà that he had stored the machine at Ballyseedy Garden Centre and said that he was paid €150,000 to do so. But he had denied any knowledge of the drugs through his solicitor, Padraig O’Connell, before Monday’s guilty plea.
Mr McDonnell, 44, of Ballyroe, Tralee, had been charged with participating in activities to facilitate the importation, sale and supply of drugs by a criminal organisation. He was also charged with importation of the drug methylamphetamine, known as crystal meth, at Cork Port on October 16, 2023.
And he was charged with possession and possession of the drug for sale or supply at Ballyseedy Garden Centre, Tralee, between October 27 and February 12, 2024.
Mr McDonnell was director of 11 companies with a turnover of €4.5m to €5m, including the well-known Ballyseedy Garden Centre in Tralee before his arrest. In August, Mr McDonnell was granted free legal aid by the Special Criminal Court.
His co-accused Mr Leen, 41, of Pilgrim Hill, Kilmorna, Listowel, Co Kerry, also appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Monday. Mr Leen also faces multiple charges in relation to the seizure. He is charged with directing the activities of a criminal organisation.
He is also charged with drug importation at Cork Port, Ringaskiddy, on October 16, 2023, of methylamphetamine worth €13,000 or more; of drug possession and of drug possession for sale or supply of methylamphetamine at Ballyseedy Garden Centre between October 27, 2023, and February 12, 2024.
Mr Leen was remanded in custody until his trial date by Justice Tony Hunt. But he will next be produced in court on November 11 for an application to be made for free legal aid. Mr Leen appeared in court wearing a navy blazer and white shirt.
Meanwhile, the High Court is to hear a petition to wind up Mr McDonnell’s former family business, Ballyseedy Restaurant Ltd, next month.
