National: Drug-runner who ‘didn't know’ he had €650k of cannabis in his suitcase jailed

A man who collected over €650k worth of cannabis from New York to bring to Dublin Airport has been jailed. 

Jonathan Mafolo (26), said he ‘didn't know’ what was in his luggage when he was arrested at Dublin Airport, court has heard.

Mafolo of Abbey Close, Abbey Hey, Manchester, United Kingdom, was en route to Birmingham when he was stopped by customs officials at Terminal 2 on October 9, 2023.

He pleaded guilty to importing over 32 kilos of cannabis in two padlocked suitcases, telling gardaí he did not have the code to open the baggage.

At a sitting of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan handed Mafolo a five-year sentence, backdated to the date of his arrest when he went also into custody.

Judge Nolan set a headline sentence of seven years but reduced this. 

He said Mafolo had cooperated with gardaí, had a good work history, no record of conviction and came from a very good family. 

Garda Jamie Connor told Karl Moran BL, prosecuting, that gardaí were asked to intercept a passenger travelling from JFK airport to Birmingham on the day in question.

Mafolo was identified at the gate by his passport and when his luggage was x-rayed, an anomaly was noticed.

He told gardaí he did not have the code to open his luggage and did not know what was inside as it had no smell. Mafolo said he did not take drugs himself.

Mafolo was interviewed twice and said he had found the bags outside his hotel in New York and as they were padlocked, there was no way he could have known what was in them.

He admitted he had been reckless and said he could not give gardaí any more information as it would put himself and his family in danger.

Mafolo had been playing semi-professional football for Bury Football Club, the court heard, and also worked in security.

Letters were submitted from his parents, siblings, girlfriend and from many members of his church and football community expressing shock that Mafolo had become involved in this out-of-character offence.

Judge Nolan accepted that Mafolo was highly unlikely to reoffend and said it was credible that he had got into this trouble in order to help his brother.