Johann Dupleiss (aged 41) was found to be carrying cocaine valued at €142,000 internally and inside the lining of a briefcase when he was searched at Dublin Airport on his way to England after travelling from Kenya.Dupleiss, of Laurimen Road, Penhill, Stellaback, Capetown, pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs at Dublin Airport on June 5, 2007. He had no previous convictions.Judge Patrick McCartan imposed a sentence of four years imprisonment, backdated to the date of his arrest.Sergeant Martin Halpin told Mr Remy Farrell BL, prosecuting, that 1.84 kilograms of cocaine was found by Customs and Excise officials inside the lining of a briefcase carried by Dupleiss. He volunteered that he had also swallowed 20pellets which were recovered via a "dry toilet" facility.
Sgt Halpin said the total amount of cocaine recovered was 2,038 grams with a street value of €142,000.Dupleiss told gardaí he believed he had swallowed pellets containing gold and that the suitcase contained confidential documents for a man in the United Kingdom which was his ultimate destination.Dupleiss said he had became friends with a man in Nairobi who had asked him to transport the items for a fee of Stg£1,500 (€1,866) and he agreed, as he was under financial pressure due to his girlfriend’s pregnancy and his mother’s illness.Mr Timothy O'Leary SC (with Mr Niall Nolan BL), defending Dupleiss, said his client "simply wished to serve the sentence that the court imposes, survive the sentence, and go back to Africa".
He said his client had cooperated as fully as he could with gardaí and had entered an early guilty plea.Mr O'Leary asked Judge McCartan to note that Dupleiss had been assessed to have a "significant suicide risk" due to depression, complications with a malarial illness and being in custody away from home.
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