A DUBLIN MAN who took delivery of a stuffed toy which contained nearly €200,000 worth of cannabis has been jailed for dealing drugs.

Michael McDonald Agu (56) received the large Hello Kitty toy which had come from Thailand. After his arrest he claimed to gardaí that it was delivered to the wrong address but he later admitted tracking the progress of the delivery online.

Agu of Avondale Park, Mulhuddart pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply at his home on 31 January last.

He also admitted dangerous driving and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at the same location.

Judge Martin Nolan jailed Agu for four years.

Garda Alan Barry told the court that after Agu received the package he made a phone call and then got into his car with the package and drove off. When a garda surveillance team moved in, Agu drove off at speed.

He broke stop signs, mounted a footpath and drove down the wrong side of the road in a residential area. He claimed he was trying to catch up with the postman to tell him he had delivered the package incorrectly.

Agu later admitted meeting a man in a pub some weeks earlier and agreeing to take delivery of the drugs. During his arrest, gardaí found cocaine with an estimated street value of €5,000 on Agu when it fell from a beanie hat he was wearing.

A drugs tick list, bagging and a weighing scales were also found.

The court heard the drugs were intercepted at customs by a sniffer dog. Customs officers found the soft toy inside was stuffed with cannabis weed.

A garda colleague then disguised as a delivery man went to Agu’s home and Agu answered and signed for the package.

Seamus Clarke SC, defending, said the father-of-five was regarded well in his community and a local parish priest described him as “dedicated to peace”.

Judge Nolan noted that Agu had no previous convictions and was unlikely to commit similar offences in the future. But he said these were serious offences.