Source: Examiner, The (Australia)
Copyright: 1999 Rural Press Ltd
Pubdate: 27 Oct, 1999
Source: Examiner, The (Ireland)
Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 1999
Contact:  http://www.examiner.ie/
Author: Niamh McPhelimy

INFORMANT'S DRUGS MOVE DISHONEST SAYS GARDA

A detective told a jury that his informant acted dishonestly with him by 
importing more than 1 million pounds worth of drugs on a trip from 
Amsterdam in 1995.

Det Sgt Denis Palmer said he thought he was meeting Declan Griffin at 
Dublin Airport to receive information about another unrelated drug matter.

Det Sgt Palmer said: "If he brought drugs into Dublin and I had not cleared 
it with my superior it would be in breach of everything that I ever stood 
for in 20 years." He agreed with defence counsel Hugh Hartnett SC (with 
Brendan Grehan BL) he had said in a report he was not aware whether Mr 
Griffin had made a statement or attempted to make exculpatory verbal 
statements, but in view of his obvious dishonesty it would not surprise him 
if he had attempted to vindicate himself.

Det Sgt Palmer told Mr Hartnett he stated this after customs officer Seamus 
Mac an Ridire informed him that Mr Griffin was found in possession of the 
drugs but denied he owned the luggage. He denied a further suggestion by 
counsel that the reference to vindicate himself meant that he was aware at 
some stage Mr Griffin was going to spill the beans about this garda 
operation unless this case was dropped against him.

Mr Griffin, 29, Bunratty Road, Coolock has pleaded not guilty to six drug 
charges of possession of heroin and ecstasy for sale and supply and 
importing heroin and ecstasy at Dublin Airport on December 20, 1995. The 
drugs consisted of 2,999.4 grams of heroin and 2,056 tablets of ecstasy, 
which were in four packages recovered from luggage collected by the accused 
at the airport on his return from a trip to Amsterdam. Det Sgt Palmer said 
an informant was always met at his location and request in reply to Mr 
Hartnett, who suggested there was a certain amount of subterfuge and 
secrecy as to where to meet his informer and that it was a nonsense to 
claim Mr Griffin had arranged to meet him in the arrivals hall of Dublin 
Airport where he was surrounded by thousands of people.

Witness agreed, however, it was extraordinary to meet him there but added 
only Mr Griffin could explain that. Det Sgt Palmer denied a suggestion by 
Mr Hartnett that falling into a 12 to 14 ft hole in Phoenix Park was a 
nonsense and a lie to cover up what Det Garda Cathal Cryan would say in 
future evidence. Mr Hartnett suggested he had left the garda car to allow 
Det Garda Cryan remain alone with Mr Griffin who allegedly made certain 
admissions regarding informant matters. Det Sgt Palmer replied: "I don't 
know the full content of their conversation and Det Garda Cryan and I still 
haven't discussed it." He added he had seen no other statements in relation 
to the investigation except his own.

He agreed with Mr Hartnett that he had struck out a number of charges that 
Mr Griffin had been arrested for on foot of warrants on his return from 
England in 1993. He said he had spoken to other detectives and they agreed 
there was insufficient evidence to warrant a prosecution and to drop the 
charges in exchange for information. Det Sgt Palmer said he acknowledged he 
was wrong not to have contacted the Director of Public Prosecutions after 
Mr Hartnett reminded him that it was the DPP's function and not his to 
strike out charges. Det Sgt Palmer told Mr Hartnett the four phone calls 
made to the customs office were nothing to do with Mr Griffin but to 
arrange to have coffee with Mr Mac an Ridire.

He did not agree with Mr Hartnett's assertion that the calls were so out of 
the ordinary that the customs had made a sweep of the airport looking for 
gardai. 
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