Source: The Examiner (Ireland)
Contact:  Tue, 21 Jul 1998
Author: Tomas Mac Ruairi

MAJOR INNER CITY DRUG DEALER JAILED FOR 12 YEARS

A MAJOR Dublin inner city heroin dealer who was targeted by gardai has been
jailed for 12 years by Judge Cyril Kelly.

Michael Heeney (39), Keenogue, Duleek, Co. Meath, was arrested in April,
1997, with A37,000 worth of heroin and six months later gardaED from the
Dublin North Central Divisional Drugs Unit found about A3100,000 worth of
heroin hidden up a tree on his land.

Heeney, married and the father of one daughter and three sons aged 21 to 11
years, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having the heroin
for supply and to allowing his premises be used for drug offending.

Judge Kelly refused to give Heeney a review date and said it would be
inappropriate of him to review his own sentence in this case.

Garda Paul Cleary said Heeney was targeted by the North Central Divisional
Drugs Unit in Operation Co-operation. He became known to the gardai in
early 1997 as an important trafficker of heroin.

Heeney was the driver of a car, in which is wife was a passenger, which was
stopped on April 22, 1997, at a road block set up in the north city area as
part of the operation and following receipt of confidential information.

The car was impounded and both Heeney and his wife were taken to Store
Street Garda Station. Some batches of heroin were found at the scene where
the car was stopped and more was found concealed in the car later. The
total was valued at A37,000.

Gda Cleary told prosecuting counsel Fergal Foley BL that on October 1
members of the unit accompanied by the Garda Dog Unit searched Heeney's
home and a large quantity of heroin was found up a tree by a sniffer dog.
Cash totalling A39,500 was also seized along with drugs dealing
paraphernalia.

Gardai from Navan found A330,000 during a raid on Heeney's home in
September, 1997, Gda Cleary added.

Heeney formerly had a coal selling business which he closed down in
February, 1997. He and his wife were heroin addicts and he came to drug
dealing as a result of this.

Gda Cleary said he admitted he was selling in the Dublin inner city area on
a daily basis and was disposing of half a kilogram a heroin per month by
October, 1997. He would have been earning a substantial amount of money.

Gda Cleary agreed with defence counsel Patrick Gageby SC and Giolliosa OB4
Lideadha BL that Heeney was fully frank with them. He didn't have a lavish
lifestyle as a result of his drug dealing. Prior to becoming a drug dealer
he was a person of good character.

The family had two cars and lived in a three-bedroomed bungalow. One of his
sons was in custody on firearms and other offences.  Gda Cleary said Heeney
had a minimum of four people selling for him on the streets and by October,
1997, he would have been selling uncut heroin to others who would then
prepare it for selling by others.

Mr Gageby asked the court to give Heeney some credit for his "incredible
honesty". He had not tried to blame anyone but himself for his offending
and was nowhere in the same league as others such as Felloni who had come
before the court. It was not the biggest case to come before the court.

Heeney accepted he had to get a stiff sentence but counsel asked the court
to consider granting him a review date so that he could come to court and
prove he had used his time well in prison.

Judge Kelly said the offences were serious though there was no evidence
that Heeney enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle as a result of his offending. His
urine analysis report indicated also he still had an addiction problem.

Heeney represented a substantial piece in the jigsaw of the north inner
city network but it was true there were others who enjoyed more of the
fruits of drug-trafficking and none of the disadvantages and would evade
justice.

Judge Kelly said he was conversant with the other connected cases which had
come before the court. He would not make any comment on the fact that his
wife was with him on the first occasion. She had children to care for.

"But the court also has a duty to the children of the inner city area which
has been devastated by heroin in recent years. Most of the crime including
syringe robberies from that area is due to heroin addiction, while all of
that cannot be laid at this defendant's door," said Judge Kelly.

- ---
Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)