Six-month sentence for ‘cog’ in Galway heroin-dealing network

A Lithuanian man who tried to conceal 15 bags of heroin from a Garda by stuffing them into his mouth, was jailed for six months at Galway District Court.

A struggle ensued after Garda PJ Noone came across the defendant at Liosban Industrial Estate on April 14 last year.

Robertas Piluikatis (47), with a former address at Tirellan Heights, pleaded guilty to having diamorphine for sale or supply on the date in question. He appeared in custody, having been arrested on foot of a European arrest warrant from his native country.

Garda Noone had charged the defendant at 10.35am on Wednesday morning, to which he replied: “I want a solicitor, and an interpreter – I shouldn’t get two charges.”

The Garda said that Piluikatis, who was assisted by a Russian interpreter during his brief appearance, was known to him when he stopped him for the purposes of a search on April 14.

“He was trying to put something into his mouth, chew, and swallow,” the Garda recalled.

“There was a brief struggle to get the packages from his mouth.”

The drugs had to be forcibly removed, he was arrested and taken to Galway Garda Station – he was subsequently remanded in custody to Cork Prison awaiting a High Court date due to an active arrest warrant in Lithuania, the court heard.

Sergeant Finbarr Philpott outlined details of Piluikatis’ 10 previous convictions, two obtained in Ireland for the possession of knives, while the rest relate to robbery, theft, and having illegal firearms in Lithuania. Garda Noone said that he had been part of the heroin-distribution “issue” affecting Galway in the past few years.

His solicitor, Brian Gilmartin, said that his client had only been in Galway for a short period when this incident occurred – in total, the carpenter has been here for 18 months.

“He arrived here legitimately to get work,” he said.

Taking into account his guilty plea, Judge Mary Fahy imposed a six-month prison sentence.